Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Liurary 


HISTORY 

of  the  work  of  eliminating 
grade  crossings 

BY  THE 

Brooklyn  Grade  Crossing  Commission 

A  joint  undertaking  between 

THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK 
THE  LONG  ISLAND  R.  R.  CO. 

AND 

THE  BROOKLYN  HEIGHTS  R.  R.  CO. 

April  30,  J9JS 


BROOKLYN  GRADE  CROSSING  COMMISSION 


COMMISSIONERS 

Frank  M.  Brooks,  President 

John  S.  Griffith,  Secretary 

Edwin  C.  Swezey,  General  Superintendent 

Ralph  Peters,  Representing  L.  I.  R.  R. 

John  L.  Wells,  Representing  B.  H.  R.  R. 

FORMER  MEMBERS 

Louis  Beer,  resigned  April,  1904;  John  C.  Brackenridge,  resigned 
December  29th,  1903  and  William  F.  Potter,  President,  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company,  died  April  3rd,  1905. 


BROOKLYN  GRADE  CROSSING  COMMISSION 


THE  BROOKLYN  GRADE  CROSSING  COMMISSION 
was  created  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  which  became  a  law 
May  9,  1903,  entitled  as  follows :  "Chap.  507,  an  Act  to  abolish 
certain  grade  crossings  of  highways  and  railroads  in  the  borough 
of  Brooklyn  in  the  city  of  New  York  and  county  of  Kings,  and 
providing  for  necessary  changes  in  the  grades  of  highways, 
streets  and  avenues,  and  of  portions  of  the  railroad,  and  right 
of  way  of  the  New  York.  Brooklyn  and  Manhattan  Beach  rail- 
way company,  leased  to  the  Long  Island  railroad  company,  and 
of  the  Brooklyn  L^nion  elevated  railroad  company,  leased  to  the 
Brooklyn  Heights  railroad  company,  so  as  to  abolish  present 
and  avoid  future  crossings  at  grade,  and  providing  means  for 
the  payment  for  such  alterations  or  changes."' 

The  act  authorized  the  Mayor  of  the  City  of  New  York, 
(Hon.  Seth  Low)  to  appoint  a  Commission  of  five,  three  of 
whom  should  represent  the  City,  one  to  represent  the  Long 
Island  Railroad  Company,  and  one  to  represent  the  Brooklyn 
Heights  Railroad  Company,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the 
provisions  of  the  act  above  referred  to. 

The  Mayor  appointed,  June  29.  1903.  as  members  of  the 
Commission,  Louis  Beer,  Frank  M.  Brooks  and  Edwin  C. 
Swezey.  representing  the  City,  John  C.  Brackenridge.  represent- 
ing the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  and  William  F. 
Potter,  representing  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Commission  was  held  at  the  office 
of  the  Borough  President.  July  9,  1903,  at  which  an  organiza- 
tion was  effected  by  electing  the  following  officers : 

Louis  Beer,  president ;  Frank  M.  Brooks,  secretary :  Edwin 
C.  Swezey.  general  superintendent.  Mr.  Brackenridge  resigned 
December  29,  1903.  and  was  succeeded  by  John  L.  Wells,  ap- 
pointed January  6,  1904.    Mr.  Beer  resigned  April,  1904,  and 


5 


was  succeeded  by  John  S.  Griffith,  appointed  May  3,  1904.  The 
death  of  Mr.  Potter  occurred  April  3,  1905,  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  Ralph  Peters,  appointed  April  24,  1905. 

These  changes  in  the  membership  of  the  Commission  re- 
sulted in  its  reorganization  by  electing  Frank  M.  Brooks,  presi- 
dent, John  S.  Griffith,  secretary,  and  under  the  Board  as  thus 
constituted,  the  work  thus  far  accomplished  on  both  Improve- 
ments, has  been  carried  on. 

The  act  of  the  Legislature  stated  that  the  work  contemplated 
affecting  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  should  be  designated 
as  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement,  and  that  the  work  contemplated 
affecting  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  should  be 
designated  as  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement,  and  as  the  two 
Improvements  were  distinct  from  each  other,  it  became  necessary 
for  the  Board  to  organize  two  separate  forces  to  carry  on  the 
Improvements. 

The  Board  appointed  Mr.  Lardner  V.  Morris,  Chief  Engi- 
neer of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement,  and  Mr.  John  H.  Dwyer, 
Chief  Engineer  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement. 

Because  of  the  division  of  the  work  the  report  of  this 
Board  showing  the  progress  made  will  deal  with  each  Improve- 
ment under  separate  headings. 

As  the  work  of  eliminating  grade  crossings  by  depressing 
or  elevating  the  railroads  would  affect  the  abutting  property  and 
also  the  property  abutting  on  the  intersecting  streets,  it  became 
necessary  from  time  to  time  to  grant  public  hearings  to  citizens 
interested  therein,  also  to  consider  petitions  covering  certain 
specified  requests  to  protect  as  far  as  possible  the  interests  of  the 
residents  and  property  owners  affected  by  the  proposed  changes 
and  also  to  consider  the  future  development  of  what  was  at  the 
time  of  the  beginning  of  the  work  undeveloped  territory. 

As  the  original  act  was  passed  without  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  the  requirements  in  this  regard,  the  Commission  after 
carefully  investigating  the  many  interests  involved  felt  justified 
in  advocating  at  different  times  amendments  to  the  act  by  the 
Legislature.  Said  amendments  became  Laws  on  the  following 
dates : 

Chapter  603  became  a  law  on  May  4,  1904,  and  provided 
for  the  constructing  of  bridges  for  streets  not  yet  opened  across 


6 


the  right  of  way  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad,  but  which  will 
be  needed  when  the  adjacent  territory  becomes  more  populated. 
This  amendment  also  provided  that  the  cost  of  these  bridges 
need  not  be  charged  against  the  $2,500,000  originally  appropri- 
ated by  the  City  for  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement. 

Chapter  589  became  a  law  on  May  19,  1905,  and  amended 
the  original  act  to  the  effect  that  the  right  of  way  of  the  Long 
Island  Railroad  should  continue  in  a  depression  under  Flatbush 
avenue  easterly  to  a  point  between  Albany  avenue  and  Avenue  G. 
The  original  act  provided  for  the  elevation  of  the  Railroad 
between  these  points. 

Chapter  635  became  a  law  on  May  26,  1905,  and  provided 
that  if  in  the  judgment  of  the  Commission  the  cost  of  acquiring 
land  for  the  construction  of  slopes  is  less  than  the  cost  of 
constructing  retaining  walls  for  the  purpose  of  sustaining  the 
embankments,  the  Board  may  adopt  that  method  of  construction  ; 
also  provided  an  increase  in  the  amount  to  be  appropriated  by 
the  City  for  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  from  $750,000  to 
$1,000,000;  also  proidded  for  the  construction  of  bridges  over 
streets  not  yet  legally  opened  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improve- 
ment; also  conferred  power  upon  the  Commission  to  settle  claims 
for  damages  to  improved  property  abutting  on  streets,  the  grade 
of  which  has  been  changed  for  the  purpose  of  this  Improvement. 

Chapter  735  became  a  law  on  July  25,  1907,  and  provided 
for  the  re-location  of  the  tracks  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company  between  East  New  York  avenue  and  a  point  near 
Bushwick  avenue  and  Aberdeen  street ;  also  provided  for  a 
method  of  procedure  in  ascertaining  the  damages  to  improved 
property  caused  by  changing  grade  of  streets  affected  by  the 
Improvements. 

The  progress  reports  herein  printed  give  a  history  of 
the  work  in  detail.  The  time  for  completion  of  the  Bay 
Ridge  Improvement  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  extended 
beyond  the  time  expected  when  the  work  was  begun.  This 
was  due  to  financial  conditions,  requiring  a  temporary  sus- 
pension of  large  expenditures  until  such  time  as  the  City  and 
the  Railroad  Company  were  prepared  to  proceed. 

Owing  to  the  Act  creating  the  Commission  failing  to 
provide  for  terminating  its  existence  and  preserving  its  rec- 


7 


ords, — the  Commission  in  co-operation  with  the  City  Author- 
ities joined  in  asking  the  action  of  the  State  Legislation  to 
that  end. 

The  Legislative  Act  provided  for  the  transfer  of  the 
duties  of  the  Commission  to  the  Board  of  Estimate  and 
Apportionment,  and  the  filing  of  all  its  records  and  maps 
with  the  County  Clerk  of  Kings  County  and  the  termination 
on  May  1st,  1918,  of  the  existence  of  the  Brooklyn  Grade 
Crossing  Commission. 


8 


BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 

First  Progress  Report 

1903-1907 


The  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  comprehended  the  elimi- 
nation of  the  grade  crossings  of  the  steam  road  constructed  in 
1878,  called  the  Brooklyn,  Flatbush  and  Coney  Island  Railroad, 
but  popularly  known  as  the  Brighton  Beach  Railroad,  which  was 
built  in  conjunction  with  the  development  of  the  Brighton  Beach 
Hotel  and  adjacent  property. 

The  road  began  at  Franklin  avenue  and  Atlantic  avenue  in 
the  City  of  Brooklyn,  running  South  to  the  Brooklyn  City  line 
for  a  distance  of  one  mile,  and  from  the  Brooklyn  City  line 
extending  through  the  villages  of  Flatbush,  Greenfield  and 
Sheepshead  Bay,  within  the  towns  of  Flatbush  and  Gravesend, 
making  the  total  length  of  the  road  7  miles. 

When  the  road  was  constructed  the  territory  above  men- 
tioned consisted  mainly  of  farm  land,  and  the  Brooklyn,  Flat- 
bush and  Coney  Island  Railroad  Company  purchased  its  right-of- 
way,  owning  the  same  outright. 

The  great  increase  in  population  and  growth  of  the  City  of 
Brooklyn  extending  into  the  suburbs  resulted  in  a  movement  on 
the  part  of  the  residents  to  the  end  that  all  the  territory  adjacent 
to  this  Railroad,  became  in  1894  a  part  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn, 
and  on  January  1,  1898,  became  a  part  of  the  City  of  New  York. 

By  this  time  this  section  had  reached  a  period  of  active 
development  with  a  rapidly  increasing  population. 

The  Brighton  Beach  Road  was  acquired  by  the  Brooklyn 
Union  Elevated  Railroad  Company  in  May,  1899,  a  connection 
having  been  made  with  the  elevated  railroad  system  at  Franklin 
avenue  and  Fulton  street  a  few  years  prior  to  this. 

The  electrification  of  the  road  immediately  followed,  which 
enabled  passengers  to  be  carried  to  the  City  Hall  in  Manhattan. 

The  extension  of  population  along  the  line  of  the  Brighton 
Beach  Road  and  adjacent  thereto,  was  so  great  and  the  quick 
time  made  from  the  heart  of  the  City  to  Coney  Island  resulted 
in  such  a  great  increase  in  traffic,  that  the  running  of  motor 


2 


9 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


trains  became  a  source  of  danger  to  the  residents,  and  it  was 
deemed  advisable  by  the  city  officials  to  co-operate  with  the 
Railroad  Company  in  the  elimination  of  all  grade  crossings  exist- 
ing at  that  time  and  to  avoid  future  crossings  at  grade. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  original  act  of  the  Legislature,  the 
City  was  required  to  pay  one-half  of  the  cost  of  the  work,  the 
total  payment  on  the  part  of  the  City,  however,  not  to  exceed  an 
amount  of  $750,000.  The  amendment  to  the  act  Chapter  635, 
Laws  of  1905,  increased  the  total  amount  which  could  be  paid 
by  the  City  to  $1,000,000. 

Immediately  upon  the  organization  of  the  Commission  it 
acquired  from  the  Railroad  Company  preliminary  surveys,  maps 
and  plans  and  after  reviewing  same  the  Commission  decided  to 
divide  the  work  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  into  three 
sections. 

The  first  section  consisted  of  the  separation  of  the  grade 
of  the  railroad  from  the  grade  of  the  street  at  Park  place  and 
Prospect  place,  by  elevating  the  railroad. 

The  second  section  consisted  of  depressing  the  tracks  of 
the  Brighton  Beach  Road  from  a  point  about  300  feet  south  of 
Church  avenue  to  a  point  about  450  feet  South  of  Avenue  G, 
making  of  total  length  of  Section  No.  2  of  6,400  feet. 

This  depression  was  in  the  form  of  an  open  cut. 

Section  No.  3  began  at  the  terminus  of  Section  No.  2  and 
was  in  the  form  of  an  embankment,  extending  to  Neptune  avenue, 
and  from  that  point  running  to  grade  at  about  880  feet,  making 
the  total  distance  of  Section  No.  3  18,800  feet. 

At  the  time  of  the  preparation  of  this  preliminary  report, 
the  work  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  on  all  three 
sections  has  been  completed  sufficiently  to  operate  all  trains 
over  the  new  grade. 

The  work  has  been  carried  on  with  great  rapidity,  the 
accomplishment  of  which  has  required  the  most  faithful  and 
energetic  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  officials  of  the  Board  and 
its  engineering  staff.  The  Board  desires  to  acknowledge  the 
energetic  co-operation  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Winter,  President  and  Mr. 
W.  S.  Menden,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Brooklyn  Heights  R.  R. 
Co.,  in  the  securing  of  these  results. 


in 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


SECTION  No.  1. 

The  work  of  Section  No.  1  was  the  first  attempted. 

The  two  grade  crossings  at  Park  place  and  Prospect  place 
were  particularly  dangerous,  owing  to  the  large  and  steadily  in* 
creasing  population  adjacent  to  the  Park  place  station. 

Plans  were  filed  with  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Works  as 
required  by  Law  on  June  28,  1904. 

Bids  for  the  work  were  opened  and  contracts  awarded  on 
July  22  and  26,  1904. 

The  work  on  Section  No.  1  consisted  of  the  depression  of 
the  roadway  of  Park  place  eight  (8)  feet  below  the  established 
grade  where  it  crossed  the  railroad. 

The  changed  grade  extended  240  feet  to  the  West  and  138 
feet  to  the  East  of  the  railroad,  at  which  points  it  comes  to 
the  established  grade  of  the  street. 

The  track  of  the  railroad  was  elevated  upon  a  steel  structure 
6  feet  above  the  old  street  grade,  giving  with  the  depression  of 
the  street  a  headroom  of  12  feet  between  the  railroad  and  the 
street. 

The  change  of  grade  at  Prospect  place  was  effected  by 
elevating  the  railroad  on  a  steel  structure  to  a  point  which  al- 
lowed a  headroom  of  12  feet  between  the  railroad  and  the  street. 

In  making  the  arrangement  for  carrying  on  this  work  it 
became  necessary  to  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  traffic,  which 
during  the  rush  hours  morning  and  evening  and  during  the 
Coney  Island  season  is  particularly  heavy. 

A  somewhat  complicated  situation  was  created  because  of 
the  limited  right-of-way,  and  the  problems  to  be  solved  were 
many  in  order  to  facilitate  the  progress  of  the  work  and  at  the 
same  time  maintain  uninterrupted  traffic. 

Contracts  were  drawn  and  the  work  organized  and  carried 
on  with  this  object  in  mind,  however,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  great 
credit  to  the  Chief  Engineer  that  the  entire  work  of  Section 
No.  1  was  completed  and  the  new  station  erected  without  injury 
to  any  of  those  employed  on  the  work  or  to  the  traveling  public 
and  without  any  interruption  in  the  exceedingly  heavy  traffic 
of  the  road. 


n 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


The  following  contracts  were  made  covering  the  work  at 
Prospect  place  and  Park  place  (Section  Xo.  1). 

Cranford  Construction  Company. 

For  excavation  of  street  to  lower  the  grade,  building  of 
drainage  sewer,  construction  of  concrete  walls  to  maintain 
sidewalks  at  higher  grade  than  roadway  and  construction 
of  walls  and  abutments  to  elevate  the  railroad,  for  erection 
of  fencing  on  sidewalks  along  depressed  roadway,  repaving 
depressed  roadway  and  reflagging  sidewalk. 

Contract  awarded  July  22,  1904. 

Cost  of  work  $40,439.00 

Amount  of  concrete  used,  2,6C0  cubic  yards. 
Amount  of  material  excavated,  5,200  cubic  yards. 
Lineal  feet  of  fence,  1,090  feet. 

Pavement  laid,  Medina  sandstone,  1,450  square  yards. 

"    Asphalt  pavement,  313  square  yards. 
Sidewalk  laid,  7,030  feet. 
Granite  curbing,  700  lineal  feet. 

McClixtic  Marshall  Construction  Company. 

Contract  for  raising  and  reinforcing  spans  of 
elevated  structure  at  and  near  St.  Marks  avenue 
and  construction  of  new  bridges  over  Prospect 
place  and  Park  place. 

Contract  awarded  July  22,  1904. 

W  eight  of  Prospect  place  bridge,  43.5  tons. 

Weight  of  Park  place  bridge,  50.8  tons. 

Cost  of  raising  and  reinforcing  elevated  structure 
at  St.  Marks  avenue,  $2,800.00. 

Total  amount  of  contract   9,939.00 

Eastern  Construction  Company. 

Contract  for  the  erection  and  removal  of  temporary 
inclines  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  traffic 
during  construction  of  permanent  work  from  St. 
Marks  avenue  to  Prospect  place. 

Contract  awarded  July  26,  1904. 

Total  amount  of  contract   5,603.00 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Milliken  Brothers. 

Contract  for  building  new  station  platform  and 
canopy. 

Contract  awarded  July  22,  1904. 

Cost  of  same   4,243.00 

Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company. 

Paid  for  work  on  temporary  and  permanent  tracks, 
overhead  line  changes,  right-of-way  fences  and 
incident  work   10,959.00 

Sundry  Expenses. 

Making  changes  in  water  mains  in  Park  place.  .  .  .  1,109.00 
Incidental  expenses,  printing,  rent  of  land,  inspect- 
ion, etc   645.00 


$72,937.00 

In  addition  to  the  above  cost  there  will  have  to  be  included 
any  award  for  damages  owing  to  the  changing  of  grade  of  the 
property  abutting  at  Park  place,  claims  for  which  are  now  in 
process  of  settlement. 

The  work  on  this  section  necessitated  the  erection  of  a  new 
station  at  Park  place  by  the  railroad  company  at  an  expense  of 
$3,100,  including  station  building,  lighting,  wiring,  etc. 

SECTION  No.  2. 

The  work  of  Section  No.  2  consisted  of  the  separation  of  the 
grade  of  the  railroad  from  the  grade  of  the  street  at  Beverly 
Road,  Avenue  C,  Avenue  D,  Ditmas  Avenue,  Newkirk  Avenue 
and  Foster  Avenue  by  depressing  the  right-of-way  of  the  rail- 
road, beginning  at  a  point  300  feet  south  of  Church  Avenue 
and  continuing  to  a  point  about  450  feet  south  of  Avenue  G,  a 
total  length  of  6,400  feet. 

The  determination  of  the  Commission  to  depress  the  right- 
of-way  on  this  section  was  reached  after  a  lengthy  consideration 
of  the  matter,  necessitated  by  the  desire  of  the  Railroad  Company 
to  elevate  its  right-of-way. 

The  Commission  received  numerous  protests  from  many 
associations  and  residents  adjacent  to  the  Brighton  Beach  Rail- 


13 


Brighti'ii  Beach  Improvement 


road  against  the  elevation  of  the  road,  and  in  order  to  give  the 
Railroad  Company  the  full  use  of  its  entire  right-of-way,  nearly 
all  of  the  property  owners  adjacent  to  the  railroad  agreed  to 
give  the  Railroad  Company,  in  consideration  of  the  road  being 
depressed,  an  easement  to  sufficient  of  their  property  for  the 
purpose  of  constructing  retaining  walls  to  hold  up  the  sides  of 
the  cut. 

In  reaching  this  result  the  Commission  acknowledges  the 
assistance  of  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred,  consisting  of 
residents  of  Flatbush  organized  for  the  purpose  of  consulting 
with  the  Commission  as  to  the  nature  of  the  work  to  be  accom- 
plished at  this  point. 

The  Commission  also  gave  hearings  to  representatives  of 
the  Germania  Real  Estate  and  Improvement  Company,  and  to 
the  following  gentlemen  representing  various  organizations  and 
property  interest :  F.  A.  M.  Burrell,  Chairman,  Committee  ot 
One  Hundred;  Hon.  E.  M.  Bassett,  L.  H.  Pounds,  T.  B.  Acker- 
son,  E.  P.  Maynard,  Engineer  O.  F.  Nichols,  Hon.  George  E. 
W  aldo,  Dr.  G.  W.  Brush,  G.  P.  Fiske,  H.  A.  Meyer,  H.  B. 
Bullard,  George  Maynard,  George  T.  Haight,  J.  A.  Davidson, 
Charles  E.  Bolles. 

The  Commission  voted  to  depress  the  right-of-way  on  the 
10th  day  of  March,  1905.  Plans  were  filed  with  the  City  Clerk 
on  the  21st  day  of  March,  1905. 

Briefly  stated  the  work  of  Section  No.  2  included: 

(a)  The  construction  of  a  36-inch  sewer  1,350  feet  long 
from  Church  avenue  and  the  railroad  cut,  through  East  18th 
street  to  Beverly  Road,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  off  the 
drainage  running  into  the  cut  north  of  Church  avenue,  and  to 
prevent  it  entering  into  the  proposed  new  depression. 

(b)  The  construction  of  a  36-inch  sewer  5,800  feet  long 
running  from  the  railroad  cut  East  through  Newkirk  avenue 
extending  to  Rogers  avenue,  thence  south  to  Flatbush  avenue 
and  then  into  the  Avenue  F  main  sewer,  for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  off  the  drainage  of  the  proposed  new  cut. 

(c)  The  cutting  of  a  new  roadbed  18  feet  below  the  old 
roadbed,  the  sides  of  the  cut  to  be  retained  by  concrete  walls. 

14 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


(d)  The  construction  of  new  station  buildings  at  Beverly 
Road,  Avenue  C  and  Newkirk  avenue. 

(e)  The  construction  of  steel  highway  bridges  over  rail- 
road cut  at  all  intersecting  streets,  and  also  foot  bridges  st 
Albemarle  Road  and  Avenue  G. 

(f)  The  erection  of  13,600  feet  iron  fence  on  retaining 
walls. 

(g)  The  construction  of  the  Foster  avenue  sewer  to 
allow  for  lowering  the  roadbed  of  the  railroad. 

Bids  for  the  construction  of  the  East  18th  street  sewer 
were  opened  and  contract  awarded  on  May  16,  1905,  to  Henry 
Dumary. 

Bids  for  the  construction  of  the  Newkirk  avenue  sewer  were 
opened  and  contract  awarded  on  June  6,  1905,  to  Henry  Dumary. 

Bids  for  the  excavation  of  the  proposed  cut  and  for  the 
construction  of  concrete  retaining  walls  were  opened  and  contract 
awarded  on  November  8,  1905,  to  Charles  Cranford. 

Bids  for  the  construction  of  new  station  buildings  were  let 
by  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  to  Thomas  G.  Carlin 
on  February  25,  1907. 

Bids  for  the  construction  of  new  steel  highway  bridges  were 
opened  and  contract  awarded  on  February  6,  1906,  to  Milliken 
Brothers. 

Bids  for  the  erection  of  iron  fence  were  opened  and  con- 
tract awarded  on  February  9,  1906,  to  Wayne  Iron  Works. 

The  plans  also  provided  for  the  construction  of  drainage 
sewers  for  the  cut,  for  the  construction  of  conduits  in  the  retain- 
ing walls  for  holding  the  cables  necessary  for  the  transmission 
of  the  electrical  power  to  operate  the  railroad,  and  also  for  the 
replacing  of  city  sewers  at  cross  streets. 

In  the  drawing  of  the  contract  provision  was  made  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  usual  passenger  traffic  of  the  railroad,  and 
rules  and  regulations  were  imposed  on  the  contractor  to  safe- 
guard as  much  as  possible  the  safety  of  the  traveling  public, 
and  the  cross  street  traffic  and  the  property  of  adjacent  property 
owners. 

Owing  to  the  depth  of  the  cut  and  the  limited  space  for 
the  work  of  construction  and  excavation,  extraordinary  care  and 


15 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


foresight  was  required  by  the  Chief  Engineer  in  the  drawing  up 
of  the  contract  and  the  requirements  of  the  same,  so  as  to 
facilitate  and  maintain  passenger  and  cross  street  traffic  and  at 
the  same  time  to  allow  the  contractor  to  proceed  with  his  work 
uninterruptedly. 

This  necessitated  the  construction  at  various  points  of  tem- 
porary cross  overs  and  overhead  electric  equipment,  temporary 
tracks  and  temporary  bridges  at  cross  streets. 

The  Commission  was  required  to  arrange  for  the  taking 
up  of  trees  and  shrubs  on  the  ground  to  be  disturbed  immediately 
adjacent  to  the  cut,  to  transplant  and  care  for  the  same  during 
the  progress  of  the  work  and  to  retransplant  upon  the  completion 
of  the  work  to  the  original  location. 

The  excavation  of  the  cut  was  begun  in  March,  1906,  and 
finished  in  July,  1907,  the  total  amount  of  material  excavated 
being  230,000  yards. 

It  is  a  matter  of  gratification  to  the  Board  to  include  in  its 
report  the  statement  that,  during  the  progress  of  this  work  under 
many  adverse  conditions  existing  because  of  limited  space  avail- 
able for  the  simultaneous  prosecution  of  the  work  and  operation 
of  the  railroad,  the  passenger  traffic  was  maintained  on  its 
regular  schedule,  including  the  heavy  traffic  of  two  summer 
seasons,  without  injury  to  the  traveling  public. 

The  material  excavated  on  Section  No.  2  was  hauled  on  the 
Brighton  Beach  Railroad  south  to  Section  No.  3  to  form  the 
embankment  planned  at  that  section. 

The  work  on  the  cut  was  begun  December  29,  1905,  at 
Avenue  G,  for  the  construction  of  the  west  concrete  wall. 

The  excavation  for  the  depressed  roadbed  began  at  and 
followed  the  construction  of  this  wall,  said  excavation  consist- 
ing of  about  one-third  of  the  width  of  the  entire  cut. 

After  the  west  wall  was  completed  the  east  wall  was  begun 
at  the  Church  avenue  end  of  this  section  and  as  the  east  wall 
progressed  it  was  followed  by  the  excavation  of  the  remaining 
portion  of  the  cut. 

The  west  wall  was  completed  in  October,  19C6,  and  the  east 
wall  was  completed  in  August,  1907. 

Railroad  traffic  was  maintained  along  the  easterly  side  of 


16 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


the  right-of-way  until  the  west  wall  and  the  excavation  adjacent 
thereto  was  completed,  when  tracks  were  laid  in  the  new  excava- 
tion and  trains  operated  thereon  while  the  east  wall  and  the 
excavation  of  the  remainder  of  the  cut  were  being  completed. 

The  following  contracts  were  made  covering  the  work  of 
Section  Xo.  2,  Brighton  Beach  Railroad. 

Charles  Craxford. 

For  lowering  the  right-of-way  of  the  railroad,  con- 
struction of  concrete  retaining  walls,  construction 
of  the  drainage  system  of  the  new  grade,  con- 
struction of  station  walls  and  canopies. 

Cost  of  work  $472,000.00 

Amount  of  concrete  used,  43,000  cubic  yards. 

Amount  of  sewer  pipe  used,  6,056  lineal  feet. 

Amount  of  soil  excavated,  230,000  cubic  yards. 

Amount  of  granite  pavement,  2,600  square  yards. 

38  manholes. 

Conduits,  157,400  duct  feet. 

Henry  Dumary, 
For  constructing  sewer  from  Church  avenue  and 
railroad  cut  through  East  18th  street  to  Beverly 
Road. 

Size  of  sewer  36  inches. 

Length  of  sewer,  1,300  lineal  feet. 

Cost  of  sewer  construction   10,600.00 

For  construction  of  sewer  running  from  railroad 

cut  and  Xewkirk  avenue  and  extending  to  Avenue 

F  main  city  sewer. 
Size  of  sewer  36,  42  and  54  inches. 
Length  of  sewer,  5,800  lineal  feet. 

Cost  of  sewer  construction   42,500.00 

Thomas  G.  Carlix. 

For  construction  of  new  station  buildings  at  Beverly 
Road,  Avenue  C  and  Newkirk  avenue.  The 
Railroad  Company  pays  the  entire  cost  of  these 
new  stations. 


17 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Report  of  cost  of  same  will  be  made  under  sepa- 
rate headings  in  completed  report. 

Milliken  Brothers. 

For  construction  of  steel  highway  bridges  over 
railroad  cut  at  Beverly  Road,  Avenue  C,  Avenue 
D,  Ditmas  avenue,  Xewkirk  avenue  and  Foster 
avenue. 

Aggregate  tonnage,  447  tons. 

Average  tonnage  of  each  bridge,  74.5  tons. 


Cost  of  above  bridges   41,068.00 

Wayne  Iron  Works. 

For  erection  of  iron  fence  on  retaining  walls,  com- 
prising 12,000  lineal  feet. 

Cost  of  same    17,000.00 

Charles  Cranford. 

Reconstructing   Foster   avenue   sewer   to  permit 

lowering  of  grade  of  right-of-way. 

Cost  of  same   13,972.00 

Cost   of   concrete   arched   flooring   for  highway 

bridges    13,700.00 

Cost  of  restoring  all  street  pavement  and  sidewalks 

at  streets  intersecting  railroad   6,500.00 


SECTION  No.  3. 

The  work  of  Section  No.  3  consisted  of  the  separation  of 
the  grade  of  the  railroad  from  the  grade  of  the  highways  at 
the  southerly  terminus  of  Section  No.  2  extending  south  a 
distance  of  3.7  miles  to  Neptune  avenue  and  descending  to 
normal  grade  from  Neptune  avenue,  to  a  point  between  Neptune 
avenue  and  the  Brighton  Beach  Hotel. 

The  railroad  was  elevated  the  entire  length  of  this  section, 
crossing  the  following  highways:  Avenue  J,  Avenue  K,  Locust 
avenue,  Chestnut  avenue,  Elm  avenue,  Avenue  N,  Avenue  O, 
Kings  Highway,  Avenue  R,  Avenue  S,  Avenue  T,  Avenue  U, 
Avenue  V,  Neck  Road,  Shore  Road  and  Neptune  avenue. 

By  referring  to  Section  No.  1  of  the  Act  creating  the 


18 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Brooklyn  Grade  Crossing  Commission  it  will  be  noted  that  it 
requires  the  New  York,  Brooklyn  and  Manhattan  Beach  Rail- 
road to  be  elevated  between  Avenue  J  and  a  point  south  of 
Neptune  avenue,  so  as  to  carry  all  present  and  future  intersect- 
ing streets  between  said  points  beneath  said  railroad. 

Power  is  also  given  to  this  Commission  to  relocate  the 
right-of-way  of  the  Manhattan  Beach  Road  as  then  existing,  so 
as  to  parallel  the  easterly  side  of  the  Brighton  'Beach  Road,  pro- 
vided such  relocation  is  consented  to  by  the  proper  city  authori- 
ties. When  so  relocated  the  act  requires  the  railroad  to  be 
elevated. 

As  the  Commission  had  decided  to  relocate  and  elevate 
the  Manhattan  Beach  line  as  above  outlined,  it  will  be  readily 
seen  therefore  that  it  became  obligatory  on  the  Commission  to 
elevate  the  Brighton  Beach  Railroad  to  a  height  corresponding 
to  that  proposed  for  the  Manhattan  Beach  line  when  relocated. 

In  pursuance  thereto  the  Commission  voted  to  elevate  the 
Brighton  Beach  Road  on  the  22d  day  of  December,  1905,  and 
subsequent  thereto  plans  and  specifications  for  Section  No.  3 
were  amended  on  July  3,  1906,  July  20,  1906,  December  28, 
1906,  and  March  26,  1907.  Plans  being  filed  with  the  City  Clerk 
on  December  26,  1905. 

The  elevation  of  the  road  was  accomplished  by  the  con- 
struction of  an  earth  embankment,  material  for  which  was 
supplied  by  the  excavation  of  Section  No.  2,  and  also  a  portion 
of  the  material  excavated  from  Section  No.  1  of  the  Bay  Ridge 
Improvement  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  which 
work  was  going  on  simultaneously  with  the  work  of  this  section 
and  under  the  direction  of  this  Commission. 

Additional  material  was  also  secured  from  adjacent  work 
being  carried  on  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company.  But 
for  the  material  supplied  from  these  sources,  the  work  of  Sec- 
tion No.  3  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  would  have  re- 
quired double  the  time  for  its  completion  and  a  greatly  increased 
expenditure. 

The  contract  covering  the  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improve- 
ment required  that  the  excavated  material  be  placed  in  embank- 
ment of  that  work  or  be  delivered  at  Manhattan  Beach  Junction 

19 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 

by  Contractor  W.  H.  Gahagan,  and  pursuant  to  a  separate  agree- 
ment between  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  and 
Contractor  Gahagan  and  approved  by  the  Commission,  was 
hauled  along  the  line  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Railroad,  south  of 
Avenue  O  as  far  as  Sheepshead  Bay  thus  creating  the  embank- 
ment between  those  points. 

The  elevation  of  the  entire  right-of-way  of  the  railroad  couid 
be  accomplished  either  by  the  construction  of  retaining  walls 
and  filling  in  between  the  walls,  or  the  purchase  of  land  adjoining 
the  right-of-way  for  the  purpose  of  having  an  embankment  wkh 
slopes  extending  over  the  purchased  property. 

As  the  purchase  of  land  and  the  construction  of  slopes  would 
cost  less  than  to  construct  concrete  retaining  walls,  it  was  decided 
to  adopt  the  former  method,  subject  to  the  opinion  of  the 
Corporation  Counsel  that  it  would  be  legal  for  the  City  to  partic- 
ipate in  the  purchase  of  land  necessary  to  form  the  slope  of  the 
embankment. 

The  question  was  submitted  to  the  Corporation  Counsel  and 
under  date  of  June  25,  1905,  an  opinion  was  given  favorable 
to  the  adoption  of  embankment  method. 

In  view  of  the  heavy  summer  traffic  prevailing  on  the 
Brighton  Beach  Road,  it  was  also  thought  wise  to  arrange  for 
the  stoppage  of  all  passenger  traffic  on  the  Brighton  Beach  Road 
during  the  construction  of  the  embankment,  and  arrangement 
was  made  between  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  and  the  New 
York,  Brooklyn  and  Manhattan  Beach  Railroad,  with  the  ap- 
proval of  the  Commission,  to  electrify  the  Manhattan  Beach 
Railroad  from  Manhattan  Beach  Junction  to  Sheepshead  Bay 
Junction  and  to  divert  the  traffic  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Road 
over  the  tracks  of  that  company.  The  object  in  making  tlvs 
arrangement  was  to  allow  the  work  to  proceed  with  greater 
rapidity  and  by  the  suspension  of  all  traffic  to  eliminate  the 
danger  of  accidents  to  the  traveling  public,  which  would  be  more 
or  less  prevalent  because  of  the  constant  running  of  dirt  trains, 
trains  bringing  material  and  supplies,  contractor's  equipment,  etc. 
It  would  also  avoid  the  necessity  and  expense  of  constantly  shift- 
ing the  tracks  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  traffic. 


90 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 

Under  an  opinion  received  from  the  Corporation  Counsel, 
dated  December  11,  1906,  the  legality  of  the  action  of  the 
Commission  in  this  respect  was  approved. 

The  amount  of  land  required  for  the  construction  of  the 
slope  of  the  embankment  was  a  strip  22  feet  wide,  immediately 
adjacent  to  the  easterly  side  of  the  right-of-way. 

At  Neck  Road  it  became  necessary  to  construct  an  incline 
on  the  westerly  side  of  the  main  line,  allowing  traffic  to  be  main- 
tained for  the  Sheepshead  Bay  Race  Track.  This  incline  reaches 
a  low  point  at  Avenue  X,  crossing  under  the  Brighton  Beach 
Road  and  the  Manhattan  Beach  Road  and  continuing  over  the 
property  of  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  to  the 
depot  at  the  Sheepshead  Bay  Race  Track. 

There  has  also  been  constructed  an  incline  for  traffic  return- 
ing from  the  Sheepshead  Bay  Race  Track  Station.  Said  incline 
being  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  main  line  between  the  tracks 
of  the  main  line  and  the  Manhattan  Beach  Road,  reaching  the 
new  grade  of  the  road  at  Neck  Road. 

The  following  contracts  were  made  covering  the  work  cf 
Section  No.  3 : 

Charles  Cranford. 

Supplementary  contract  to  build  abutments  at  streets 
on  Section  between  Long  Island  Railroad  Cross- 
ing and  Avenue  O. 

Amount  of  material  excavated,  2,400  cubic  yards. 

Amount  of  concrete  used,  3,200  cubic  yards. 

Total  cost   $21,350.00 

Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company. 

Excavating  foundation  and  building  bridge  abut- 
ments, and  making  a  four  track  embankment 
from  Avenue  O  to  and  including  Neptune 
avenue. 

Amount  of  material  excavated,  4,600  cubic  yards. 
Amount  of  concrete  used,  9,500  cubic  yards. 
Amount  of  material    in    embankment,  467,000 
cubic  yards. 

Cost    156,000.00 


21 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company. 

Work  on  their  own  portions  of  abutments  and 

walls  at  streets  where  stations  are  located. 
Amount  of  material  excavated,  1,940  cubic  yards. 
Amount  of  concrete  used,  3,540  cubic  yards. 

Total  cost   23,000.00 

Barth  S.  Cronin. 

Building  coffer  dams  and  excavating  foundation 

pits  and  driving  piles  for  abutments  and  piers  at 

Neptune  avenue. 

Coffer  dam  work  $5,100.00 

Excavation  and  pile  driving   8,025.00 

Total  contract   13,125.00 

Abbot-Gamble  Company. 

Putting   in   solid   floor   construction   on  railroad 

bridges  from  Avenue  J  to  and  including  Neptune 

avenue. 

Amount  of  flooring,  73,000  square  feet. 

Amount  of  contract   72,500.00 

Frank  J.  Gallagher. 

Grading  nine  streets  to  get  14-foot  headroom  under 
bridges  on  Section  No.  3. 

Estimated  amount  of  contract   14,000.00 

Milliken  Brothers. 

Furnishing  steel  bridges  on  Section  No.  3. 

Amount  of  steel,  2,500  tons. 

Total  cost   238.500.00 

Railroad  Company  paid  for  460  tons  of  steel  (in- 
cluded in  above)  amounting  to  $42,320.00. 
Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company. 

Under  contract  to  build  abutments  and  make  em- 
bankment fill  on  Section  No.  3,  are  building  the 
incline  at  Neck  Road. 

Estimated  quantities: 

Concrete,  7,900  cubic  yards. 

Excavation,  20,000  cubic  yards. 

Reinforcing  rods,  74  tons. 

Estimated  cost   77,000.00 


22 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 

LONG  ISLAND  RAILROAD 

First  Progress  Report 

1903-1907 

SCOPE  OF  THE  WORK 

The  Bay  Ridge  Improvement  comprehends  the  elimination 
of  all  grade  crossings  of  the  steam  railroads  operating  under 
original  charters  known  as  the  New  York,  Bay  Ridge  &  Jamaica 
Railroad  Co.,  the  New  York  &  Manhattan  Beach  Railway  Co., 
and  the  Long  Island  City  &  Manhattan  Beach  Railroad  Co., 
consolidated  into  the  New  York,  Brooklyn  &  Manhattan  Beach 
Railway  Company,  which  is  now  leased  to  and  for  the  purpose  of 
this  report  will  be  referred  to  as  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company. 

The  Act  of  the  Legislature,  which  became  a  law  May  9,  1903, 
provided  that  the  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement  should 
be  carried  on  at  the  joint  expense  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
and  the  City  of  New  York,  each  to  pay  one-half  of  the  cost.  The 
maximum  amount  to  be  expended  by  the  City  was  limited  to 
Two  and  one-half  million  dollars  ($2,500,000)  with  the  provi- 
sion that  any  additional  cost  in  excess  of  the  joint  expense  of 
Five  million  dollars  ($5,000,000)  should  be  borne  by  the  Railroad 
Company  only,  except  that  where  additional  bridges  were  built 
at  streets  not  actually  opened  or  traveled  so  as  to  provide  for 
future  crossings,  the  cost  to  the  City  was  to  be  increased  so  as  to 
cover  one-half  of  the  expense  of  such  additional  bridges. 

NECESSITY  FOR  THE  WORK. 

At  the  time  of  the  construction  of  these  railroads,  the  terri- 
tory through  which  they  ran  consisted  mainly  of  farm  land,  but 
the  rapid  extension  of  population  into  the  suburban  districts  of 
the  Borough  of  Brooklyn  resulted  in  the  development  of  residen- 
tial neighborhoods  adjacent  to  the  railroads,  attended  with  all  the 


'23 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


inconveniences  and  dangers  pertaining  to  the  operation  of  steam 
roads  crossing  highways  at  grade.  To  provide  for  the  present 
and  future  requirements  of  these  rapidly  growing  sections,  and  to 
establish  all  the  conveniences  and  facilities  necessary  for  munici- 
pal living,  such  as  water  mains,  sewer  systems,  electric  light,  tele- 
graph and  telephone  conduits,  and  to  enable  additional  streets  to 
be  opened  across  the  right  of  way  of  the  railroad  so  as  to  provide 
for  necessary  foot  passenger  and  vehicular  traffic,  it  became  nec- 
essary to  make  a  permanent  separation  of  the  grade  of  the  rail- 
road from  the  grade  of  the  highways  by  elevating  or  depressing 
the  right  of  way  of  the  Railroad.  The  separation  of  grades  con- 
templated by  the  legislative  Act  covers  that  portion  of  the  Rail- 
road extending  from  the  Brooklyn  Borough  Line  to  Bay  Ridge, 
a  distance  of  10.4  miles,  and  from  Manhattan  Beach  Junction  to 
Manhattan  Beach,  a  distance  of  3.7  miles.  The  number  of  grade 
crossings  to  be  eliminated,  existing  at  the  time  of  passage  of  the 
Act.  from  Bay  Ridge  to  Brooklyn  Borough  Line  was  41,  and 
from  Manhattan  Beach  Junction  to  Manhattan  Beach  10. 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Commission,  it  was  enabled  to 
purchase  from  the  Railroad  Company  the  surveys  and  maps  cov- 
ering the  proposed  Bay  Ridge  Improvement,  thus  saving  the  Com- 
mission the  time  necessary  to  have  the  same  made  under  its  own 
direction. 

OUTLINE  OF  PLANS. 

The  consideration  of  the  plans  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improve- 
ment involved  a  re-adjustment  of  the  right  of  way  at  certain 
points;  the  establishment  of  new  grade  lines;  the  re-construction 
of  existing  freight  yards  conformable  to  the  new  grade  lines  of 
the  right  of  way ;  the  re-construction  of  sidings  and  of  connec- 
tions with  private  yards  to  conform  to  the  new  established  grade. 
A  very  important  feature  of  the  Act  of  the  Legislature  was  the 
provision  for  the  elevation  or  depression  of  the  entire  width  of 
the  right  of  way.  The  Commission  found  this  could  be  accom- 
plished either  by  the  construction  of  retaining  walls  and  filling  in 
between  the  walls  for  the  purpose  of  elevation,  or  by  the  con- 
struction of  retaining  walls  to  sustain  the  sides  of  the  cut  if  the 

24 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


right  of  way  was  depressed  by  excavation,  or  by  purchasing  land 
adjacent  to  the  right  of  way,  said  land  to  be  utilized  for  the 
construction  of  slopes.  As  the  estimates  of  the  Engineers  indi- 
cated that  land  adjacent  to  the  right  of  way  could  be  purchased 
and  utilized  for  forming  slopes  to  sustain  an  embankment  in  the 
event  of  the  right  of  way  being  elevated,  and  utilized  to  sustain 
slopes  in  the  event  of  the  right  of  way  being  depressed,  it  was 
decided  to  require  the  purchase  of  land  for  the  forming  of  slopes, 
should  such  action  by  the  Commission  in  the  opinion  of  the  Cor- 
poration Counsel  be  authorized  by  law.  A  favorable  opinion  to 
that  effect  was  given  by  the  Corporation  Counsel  January  25, 
1907. 

In  compliance  with  the  request  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company,  plans  were  also  adopted  providing  for  a  form  of  con- 
struction which  would  increase  the  facilities  of  the  Railroad  over 
its  existing  right  of  way  at  certain  points,  said  increase  in  facili- 
ties, however,  to  be  paid  for  only  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
Company  and  not  to  be  a  charge  against  the  Improvement. 

DETAIL  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 

The  plans  finally  adopted  by  the  Board  called  for  the  de- 
pression of  the  Railroad  from  Bay  Ridge  for  a  Distance  of  5.6 
miles,  to  a  point  between  Albany  Avenue  and  Avenue  G,  and  for 
the  elevation  of  the  road  on  an  embankment  from  this  point  a  dis- 
tance of  2.8  miles,  to  a  point  about  1800  ft.  north  of  New  Lots 
Road ;  thence  following  a  gradual  descending  grade  to  a  point 
about  425  ft.  south  of  Atlantic  Avenue;  thence  requiring  a  tunnel 
to  be  constructed  about  3500  ft.  in  length,  coming  to  grade  at 
the  original  surface  at  a  point  about  200  ft.  south  of  Central 
Avenue ;  then  again  elevated  on  an  embankment  terminating  at 
the  Borough  Line. 

Owing  to  the  depression  of  the  right  of  way,  it  became  nec- 
essary for  the  Commission  to  arrange  for  the  re-construction  of 
sewers  at  the  following  points :  Eighth  Avenue,  Ninth  Avenue, 
Ft.  Hamilton  Avenue,  Twelfth  Avenue,  New  Utrecht  Avenue, 
Flatbush  Avenue,  East  35th  Street. 

The  work  necessitated  the  changing  of  water  and  gas  mains 


25 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


and  electric  connections  at  all  opened  streets,  and  the  shifting  ci 
street  railway  tracks  and  re-laying  of  same  so  as  to  prevent  an 
interruption  of  traffic  at  the  following  railroad  crossings : 
Flatbush  Avenue,  Gravesend  Avenue, 

Ocean  Avenue,  New  Utrecht  Avenue, 

Brighton  Beach  Railroad,  Coney  Island  Avenue, 

The  existing  grade  crossings  traveled  by  the  Public  from  Bay 
Ridge  to  the  Borough  Line  were  as  follows : 


First  Avenue, 
Ft.  Hamilton  Avenue, 
Kowenhoven  Lane, 
11th  Avenue, 
New  Utrecht  Avenue, 
15th  Avenue, 
60th  Street, 
53rd  Street, 
New  Utrecht  Road, 
18th  Avenue, 
52nd  Street, 
Gravesend  Avenue, 
East  3rd  Street, 
Coney  Island  Avenue, 
Atlantic  Avenue, 
Herkimer  Street, 
Fulton  Street, 
Norman  Place 
I  .roadw  ay, 
Conway  Street, 

Centra 

A  total  of  41.  Of  the  above,  Amersford  Place,  an  old  country 
road  not  Oil  the  City  Map  and  practically  eliminated  as  a  thor- 
oughfare by  the  opening  of  Flatbush  Avenue,  was  abandoned; 
Wyckoff  Avenue  is  shifted  to  conform  with  the  lines  of  Fast 
83rd  Street;  and  Canarsie  Road  is  shifted  to  conform  with  the 
lines  of  East  92nd  Street.  Additional  bridges  are  being  con- 
structed on  the  lines  of  the  streets  laid  on  the  City  Map  but  not 
yet  opened,  as  follows: 


Ocean  Avenue, 
Amersfort  Place, 
Flatbush  Avenue, 
Kowenhoven  Rd.  (Kgs.  Hwy.) 
Wyckoff  Avenue, 
Canarsie  Road, 
Rockaway  Avenue, 
Aew  Lots  Road, 
Sutter  Avenue, 
Pitkin  Avenue, 
Glenmore  Avenue, 
Liberty  Avenue, 
Vesta  Avenue, 
East  New  York  Avenue, 
Stewart  Street, 
Eastern  Parkway, 
La  Sales  Place, 
Bushwick  Avenue, 
Aberdeen  Street, 
Furman  Avenue, 
Avenue. 


26 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


16th  Avenue, 
59th  Street, 
17th  Avenue, 
East  14th  Street, 
Xostrand  Avenue, 
Brooklyn  Avenue, 
Avenue  H, 


Albany  Avenue, 
Avenue  G, 
Utica  Avenue, 
Avenue  D, 
Ralph  Avenue, 
Remsen  Avenue-, 
East  94th  Street, 
Blake  Avenue. 

Two  bridges  for  pedestrians  only  were  also  provided  for,  one 
at  East  18th  Street  and  one  at  Belmont  Avenue,  making  a  total 
of  17  new  streets  provided  for.  On  this  section  there  were  oper- 
ated, crossing  the  tracks  of  the  Railroad  at  grade.  9  lines  of 
street  railways,  on  two  of  which  are  also  operated  motor  trains, 
and  one  crossing  of  steam  and  electric  railroad  tracks,  namely, 
Atlantic  Avenue. 


MANHATTAN  BEACH  SECTION. 

The  section  running  from  Manhattan  Beach  Junction  to 
Coney  Island,  for  the  purposes  of  this  report  is  designated  as 
the  Manhattan  Beach  section.  The  original  Act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture empowered  the  Commission  to  relocate  this  section  adjacent 
to  the  easterly  side  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Railroad,  if  in  the 
judgment  of  the  Commission  it  was  to  the  public  interests  so  to 
do,  after  acquiring  the  consent  of  the  proper  authorities  to  that 
end.  Because  of  the  close  proximity  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Rail- 
road to  the  Manhattan  Beach  Railroad  and  the  undesirable  con- 
dition which  would  be  created  by  the  construction  of  an  embank- 
ment for  the  Manhattan  Beach  section  on  its  present  right  of 
way  and  the  construction  of  an  embankment  for  the  Brighton 
Beach  Railroad  on  its  existing  right  of  way,  thus  placing  the 
property  lying  between  the  two  elevated  roadbeds  in  a  position 
which  would  undoubtedly  affect  its  value  and  impair  its  advan- 
tages as  a  residential  section,  the  Commission  voted  to  relocate 
the  Manhattan  Beach  section  as  above  outlined.  Application  was 
made  jointly  by  the  Railroad  Company  and  the  Brooklyn  Grade 
Crossing  Commission  to  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportion- 
ment in  January,  1906,  and  the  application  was  granted  on  June 


Bay  Ridge  improvement 


7,  1907,  pursuant  to  an  agreement  to  be  made  between  the  City 
of  New  York  and  the  Long  Island  Railroad.  As  re-located,  the 
plans  finally  adopted  by  the  Board  called  for  the  elevation  on  a 
dirt  embankment  of  the  Manhattan  Beach  section  for  a  distance 
of  3.3  miles,  which  would  result  in  the  separation  of  the  grade  of 
the  railroad  from  the  grade  of  the  streets  at  the  following  streets: 


Opened  and  Actually  Traveled  Streets. 

Locust  Avenue,  Avenue  U, 

Chestnut  Avenue,  Neck  Road, 

Elm  Avenue,  Shore  Road, 

Kings  Highway,  Neptune  Avenue, 


Bridges  to  be  Placed  at  Streets  Shown  on  the  City  Map,  but  not 

Yet  Opened: 

Avenue  T.  Avenue  P, 

Avenue  K,  Avenue  R, 

*  T  Avenue  S, 

Avenue  L,  .  _ 

Avenue  1 , 

Avenue  N,  Avenue  V, 

Avenue  O,  Avenue  Y. 


It  was  decided  to  abandon  the  following  old  lanes,  action  to 
that  effect  being  taken  by  the  Board  of  Estimate  at  the  request 
of  the  Board : 

McGaws  Lane,  Johnsons  Lane, 

Johnsons  Road,  Emmers  Lane. 

Provision  was  made  to  take  care  of  the  traffic  of  these  lanes  by 
placing  bridges  at  the  nearest  adjacent  avenues  shown  on  the 
City  map.  This  made  a  total  of  19  streets  to  be  provided  for. 
On  the  above  section  there  is  one  street  surface  railway  crossing 
the  tracks  of  the  Railroad  at  grade  to  be  eliminated,  namely, 
Neptune  Avenue. 


28 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK. 

The  bids  for  the  first  portion  of  the  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge 
Improvement  were  opened  in  the  rooms  of  the  Commission  on 
April  27,  1905.  The  contract  was  awarded  to  Beinhauer  &  See, 
on  April  27,  1905,  and  provided  for  the  construction  of  concrete 
bridge  abutments  and  adjacent  retaining  walls  at  the  following 
points : 

Xew  Utrecht  Avenue,  Brooklyn  Avenue, 

17th  Avenue,  Albany  Avenue, 

53rd  Street,  Avenue  H, 

18th  Avenue,  Avenue  G, 

52nd  Street,  Ralph  Avenue, 

Gravesend  Avenue,  Avenue  D, 

East  3rd  Street,  East  83rd  Street, 

Flatbush  Avenue,  Remsen  Avenue. 

Rockaway  Avenue. 

The  work  of  the  Improvement  was  begun  on  May  19,  1905, 
at  Gravesend  Avenue,  Parkville,  consisting  of  excavating  a  trench 
for  the  retaining  wall  running  parallel  with  Gravesend  Avenue, 
forming  the  easterly  end  of  the  Parkville  freight  yard,  to  provide 
for  the  lowering  of  the  bed  of  the  freight  yard  to  conform  to  the 
new  grade  to  be  established  for  the  main  right  of  way.  On  this 
occasion,  the  Commission  and  the  Borough  Officials  participated 
in  the  ceremonies  of  starting  the  work.  Appropriate  addresses 
were  made  by  Hon.  Martin  W.  Littleton,  President  of  the  Bor- 
ough of  Brooklyn,  on  behalf  of  the  City,  and  by  President  Frank 
M.  Brooks,  of  the  Grade  Crossing  Commission,  and  President 
Ralph  Peters,  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company.  The  first 
shovelful  of  earth  was  removed  by  Miss  Beatrice  Brooks,  the  five- 
year-old  daughter  of  the  President  of  the  Commission.  The 
method  of  carrying  on  the  work  as  projected  by  Chief  Engineer 
Morris  was  first  to  construct  all  the  bridge  abutments  and  retain- 
ing walls,  and  when  the  abutments  were  completed  to  place  in 
position  the  steel  girders  required  to  form  the  bridges,  after 
which  the  excavation  was  to  be  made  which  would  establish  the 
depressed  roadbed  at  the  new  grade  line  laid  out  on  the  plans, 
the  material  excavated  being  transported  to  that  portion  of  the 

29 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


work  to  be  elevated  upon  an  embankment.  This  method  of  con- 
struction obviated  the  entire  closing  of  any  streets,  so  that  the 
usual  street  traffic  was  maintained  during  the  progress  of  the 
work. 

Bids  for  the  excavation  were  opened  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Commission  on  December  12,  1905,  and  the  contract  awarded  to 
\Y.  H.  Gahagan  on  December  22,  1905.  Bids  for  the  steel  work 
for  the  bridges  were  opened  in  the  rooms  of  the  Commission  on 
May  19,  1905,  and  contract  awarded  to  Milliken  Brothers  on 
May  26,  1905. 

Sundry  small  contracts  were  let  as  work  progressed  for  the 
construction  of  sewers,  the  surfacing  of  roadways,  changing  of 
water  pipes,  construction  of  solid  floors  and  parapet  walls  for 
highway  bridges.  The  Railroad  Company  did  the  work  of  chang- 
ing the  track  with  their  own  forces,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Commission,  by  day  labor,  as  this  was  work  that  could  not  be 
estimated  upon  or  satisfactorily  done  by  contract. 

WORK  ACCOMPLISHED  AT  THE  TIME  OF  WRITING 
THIS  REPORT: 

The  work  accomplished  up  to  this  time  consists  of  the  de- 
pressing of  the  main  line  from  7th  Avenue  to  Avenue  G,  a  dis- 
tance of  4^2  miles.  The  material  excavated  to  make  this  depres- 
sion being  used  to  form  an  embankment  from  Avenue  G  to  New 
Lots  Road,  a  distance  of  2l/2  miles,  thus  eliminating  all  grade 
crossings  on  the  main  line  for  a  distance  of  7  miles,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  four  highways,  where  permanent  bridges  will  be  com- 
pleted within  a  few  months.  Also  a  portion  of  the  excavated 
material  was  diverted  to  the  embankment  on  the  Manhattan  Beach 
Branch,  from  Avenue  J  to  Shore  Road,  a  distance  of  2]/2  miles. 
On  this  division  some  work  has  been  done  towards  constructing 
bridges  over  the  intersecting  streets. 

On  the  main  line,  from  7th  Avenue  to  New  Lots  Road  at  East 
New  York,  work  is  under  way  on  36  bridges,  and  of  this  number 
18  are  practically  completed. 

The  Railroad  traffic  is  now  maintained  on  the  depressed 
grade  from  7th  Avenue  to  Ocean  Parkway  and  from  East  14th 

80 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


Street  to  Albany  Avenue,  and  on  the  embankment  from  Wyckoff 
Avenue  to  and  including  New  Lots  Road.  Two  adjacent  freight 
yards  have  been  depressed  and  are  operating  on  their  permanent 
grades  at  Parkville  and  Vanderveer  Park. 

The  grade  crossings  where  the  three  principal  intersecting 
railroads  operating  motor  trains  cross  the  Long  Island  at  grade 
were  eliminated  as  follows :  The  Prospect  Park  &  Coney  Island 
R.  R.  on  Gravesend  Avenue,  September  19,  1906;  The  Bath 
Beach  &  West  End  R.  R.  on  New  Utrecht  Avenue,  July  16,  1907; 
Brighton  Beach  Railroad,  January  17,  1908. 

The  bridge  abutments  supporting  both  the  Railroad  bridge 
and  Highway  bridges  are  constructed  of  concrete,  for  which  was 
used  the  best  quality  of  Portland  Cement,  and  the  stone  used 
throughout  the  work  was  crushed  limestone.  The  sand  was  ob- 
tained from  the  excavated  portions  of  the  work,  as  it  was  of  ex- 
ceptional good  quality. 

The  Highway  bridges,  that  is  the  bridge  floor,  are  made  of 
steel  I-beams,  placed  in  parallel  rows  and  completely  encased  with 
concrete,  forming  a  slab  the  width  of  the  highway  and  spanning 
the  Railroad  tracks  beneath.  This  makes  a  floor  that  is  as  near 
permanent  as  engineering  skill  can  make  it.  Upon  this  floor  in 
the  roadway  is  laid  a  pavement  of  various  types,  consisting  on 
some  of  wood  block  and  on  others  sheet  asphalt  or  asphalt  block. 
In  place  of  a  fence  or  iron  railing  that  is  usual  on  bridge  struc- 
tures, there  has  been  built  a  reinforced  concrete  wall  of  a  design 
that  is  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  also  of  permanent  construction.  All 
the  Highway  bridges  built  to  date  are  of  this  type.  The  water 
pipes,  gas  mains  and  electric  conduits  in  the  streets  where  bridges 
were  built  were  relaid  in  such  manner  as  to  pass  between  the 
Lbeams  and  the  floor  of  the  bridge  in  a  chamber  especially  de- 
signed for  their  use.  This  chamber  was  placed  under  the  side- 
walk in  most  cases  so  as  to  be  of  convenient  access  for  the  re- 
moval or  placing  of  more  pipes  or  ducts. 

The  Railroad  bridges,  that  is  where  the  tracks  of  the  Railroad 
cross  above  the  highways,  are  constructed  of  steel  girders  span- 
ning the  highways.  The  floor  of  these  bridges  is  constructed  of 
concrete  and  I-beams,  and  this  floor  is  thoroughly  waterproofed 

31 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


to  prevent  any  dripping  of  rain-water  or  oil  through  the  bridge 
to  the  highway  beneath.  Upon  this  floor  the  ballast,  ties  and  rails 
are  laid.  This  makes  practically  a  noiseless  bridge  and  the  pas- 
sage of  trains  overhead  is  hardly  noticeable  to  pedestrians  or 
horses  on  the  highway  underneath.  These  Railroad  bridges  are 
practically  all  of  one  type,  with  the  exception  that  at  some  streets, 
where  ample  height  is  obtained,  the  girders  instead  of  being 
placed  between  the  tracks  were  placed  underneath,  making  what 
is  known  as  a  "deck  bridge,"  the  floor  being  of  the  same  character 
as  the  former  type. 

At  Wyckoff  Avenue  a  brick  arch  was  constructed  in  place 
of  a  steel  bridge ;  this  was  owing  to  conditions  that  made  it 
favorable  to  construct  that  type  of  bridge. 

At  some  streets  the  angle  formed  by  the  Railroad  was  so 
acute  that  although  the  street  was  only  64  feet  wide  the  bridge 
structure  was  138  feet  long.  This  was  the  case  at  Avenue  G, 
which  necessitated  main  girders  over  the  roadway  of  92  feet. 
Four  of  these  girders  weighed  42  tons  each,  an  unusual  weight 
for  girders.  The  total  weight  of  steel  in  this  bridge  is  nearly 
one  million  pounds.  If  the  steel  in  this  particular  bridge  were 
made  into  ordinary  telegraph  wire,  it  would  reach  4,000  miles, 
and  this,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  simply  for  a  bridge  across 
one  street  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn. 

The  total  weight  of  steel  in  bridges  of  all  types  constructed 
to  date  is  4,500  tons. 

The  total  amount  of  concrete  used  in  the  bridges,  abutments 
and  retaining  walls  amounts  to  40,000  yards.  This  would  make 
a  stone  shaft  10  feet  square  and  10,800  feet  high,  or  approxi- 
mately 2  miles. 

The  total  amount  of  material  excavated  is  1,225.000  cubic 
yards,  and  this  was  placed  in  the  embankments  as  above  noted. 
To  give  a  fair  idea  of  this  amount  of  material,  it  would  cover  the 
entire  area  of  Prospect  Park  to  a  depth  of  feet.  This 

immense  amount  of  material  was  excavated  by  Contractor  Gaha- 
gan  with  four  Steam  Shovels  and  loaded  into  specially  con- 
structed dump  cars,  which  were  hauled  away  to  the  propel 
point  for  embankment  construction. 

82 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 

The  sides  of  the  depressed  portion  are  retained  by  earth 
having  its  natural  slope.  This  slope  is  protected  by  sodding 
and  seeding,  giving  a  Parking  appearance  as  well  as  protecting 
the  depressed  roadbed  from  the  washing  effects  of  rain  storms. 
The  embankment  section  is  simply  the  excavation  reversed ; 
that  is,  if  the  excavation  were  taken  out  in  one  block  and 
turned  up  side  down  it  would  form  the  embankment,  and  the 
slopes  of  these  embankments  are  to  be  protected  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  depressed  section. 

The  cost  of  the  work  executed  to  date  is  estimated  at  about 
$1,500,000,  which  cost  is  divided  between  the  Long  Island  Rail- 
road Company  and  the  City  of  New  York. 

WORK  TO   BE   DONE  TO  COMPLETE  BAY  RIDGE 
IMPROVEMENT. 

(a)  The  reconstruction  of  right  of  way  from  New  York 
Bay  to  Seventh  avenue,  a  distance  of  about  one  mile. 

(b)  The  depression  of  the  freight  yard  extending  from 
New  Lots  Road  to  the  entrance  of  proposed  tunnel  at  East 
New  York  avenue. 

(c)  The  construction  of  a  tunnel  on  a  new  line  for  a 
distance  of  about  3,500  feet  from  East  New  York  avenue  to 
the  Evergreen  cemetery,  through  the  hill  between  the  above 
points. 

(d)  The  construction  of  an  embankment  and  bridges  from 
the  Evergreen  cemetery  to  the  borough  line,  a  distance  of  one- 
half  mile. 

The  East  New  York  freight  yard,  which  is  the  distributing 
point  of  freight  for  the  entire  East  New  York  and  Brownsville 
sections,  comprises  a  strip  of  land  200  feet  wide  and  a  mile  long, 
extending  from  New  Lots  Road  to  Liberty  avenue,  between 
Vesta  avenue  and  Junius  street.  This  yard  will  be  depressed  and 
crossed  over  by  the  following  streets :  Blake  avenue,  Sutter 
avenue,  Pitkin  avenue,  Glenmore  avenue,  Liberty  avenue  and 
Belmont  avenue.  The  work  will  be  so  arranged  as  to  reduce  to 
a  minimum  the  changing  of  grades  of  the  intersecting  and  ad- 
joining streets.  Under  the  Grade  Crossing  Act  it  was  impossible 
to  change  the  grade  on  the  Long  Island  Railroad  between  the 


33 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


points  mentioned  as  contemplated  by  the  Law,  as  there  was  a 
steam  railroad  in  operation  on  private  right  of  way  and  adjoin- 
ing the  east  side  of  the  land  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad.  This 
was  the  Brooklyn  &  Rockaway  Beach  Railroad,  known  as  the 
Canarsie  Railroad,  and  the  Law  did  not  cover  the  abolishing 
of  grade  crossings  of  this  railroad.  The  matter  was  settled, 
however,  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad  and  the  Brooklyn  Heights 
Railroad  jointly  purchasing  the  Canarsie  Railroad,  dividing 
the  property,  and  the  Brooklyn  Heights  elevating  its  portion 
on  a  steel  structure  a  sufficient  height  to  allow  the  streets  ~o 
cross  the  proposed  depressed  railroad  yard  and  pass  underneath 
the  elevated  structure.  This  was  done  without  expense  to  the 
City  of  New  York. 

From  a  point  at  Liberty  avenue,  where  the  tunnel  com- 
mences, to  the  Evergreen  cemetery  the  present  right  of  way  of 
the  railroad  forms  an  irregular  curve,  and  it  was  found,  after 
investigation  and  study,  that  a  very  large  sum  of  money  would 
be  saved  and  the  work  carried  on  with  greater  convenience  and 
dispatch  if  the  present  railroad  were  abandoned  and  the  road 
rebuilt  on  a  straight  line  between  Liberty  avenue  and  the  inter- 
section of  the  present  railroad  at  Granite  street.  The  original 
law  did  not  allow  the  Board  to  make  this  change  of  line ;  there- 
fore a  special  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  on  July  25, 
1907,  which  made  this  change  possible,  and  plans  are  being 
prepared  so  that  work  can  be  started  at  an  early  date. 

An  approximate  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the  work  remain- 
ing to  be  done  on  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement  is  $3,500,000. 


BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 

Second  Progress  Report 

1908-1909 


The  work  unfinished  during  the  year  1907,  and  completed 
during  1908,  consisted  of  erecting  railroad  bridges  at  Kings 
Highway  and  Shore  Road,  placing  solid  floors  on  bridges  (both 
railroad  and  highway),  completing  the  earth  embankment,  reg- 
ulating, grading  and  paving  intersecting  streets,  and  other  mis- 
cellaneous work  made  necessary  by  the  Improvement. 


The  cost  of  work  during  1908  is  as  follows  : 

Restoring  pavements,  sidewalks  and  completing 
floors   on  highway   bridges — streets  between 

Church  Avenue  and  L.  I.  R.  R   $15,023.00 

Grading — paving  and  regulating  streets  between 
L.  I.  R.  R.  and  Neptune  Avenue  on  account 
of  change  of  their  grade  due  to  the  Improve- 
ment   21,990.00 

Erecting  steel  R.  R.  bridges  at  Kings  Highway 
and    Shore   Road   and    completing  highway 

bridges    32,394.00 

Completion  of  solid  concrete  floors  on  railroad 

bridges   7,980.00 

Steel  foot  bridges,  concrete  floors  and  approaches 

at  Avenues  A  and  G    12,420.00 

Subway  at  Avenue  H,  Fiske  Terrace  Station   3,618.00 

Neck  Road  Incline  and  steel  R.  R.  bridge    32,100.00 

New  8-inch  water  main  from  Neck  Road  to 
Brighton  Beach  to  take  the  place  of  an  old 

main  covered  by  earth  embankment    6,958.00 

Earth-fill  in  embankment  between  Shore  Road 

and  Neptune  Avenue   5,740.00 

Removal    of    temporary   bridges    and  stations 

erected  while  work  was  under  way    1,898.00 

Temporary  tracks  and  O.  H.  Line  changes  on 
account  of  failure  of  Milliken  Bros,  to  deliver 

steel  bridges    3,012.00 

35 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Completion  of  fence  on  retaining  walls    1,155.00 

Completion  of  two  permanent  operating  tracks 

between  Church  Avenue  and  Brighton  Beach  5,492.00 

Maintenance  of  two  operating  tracks  on  the  em- 
bankment for  one  year,  ending  with  1908   3,431.00 

Permanent  O.  H.  work  between  Shore  Road  and 

end  of  the  Improvement    1,501.00 

Restoring  yards,  lawns  and  property  injured  by 

the  Improvement    626.00 

Electric  Light  Company,  poles  and  wires  moved 

and  changed   ..  _   491.00 

Miscellaneous  work  Church  Avenue  to  C.  1   2,760.00 


Total   $158,589.00 


The  Commissioners  appointed  by  the  Supreme 
Court  to  assess  the  damage  to  abutting  prop- 
erty on  Newkirk  Avenue  on  account  of  the 
change  of  grade  of  this  street  due  to  the  work 
of  the  Improvement,  presented  their  report, 
awarding  damages  to  various  owners,  the 
amount  including  expenses  of  the  Commis- 
sioners, and  chargeable  to  the  Improvement, 


being    $  13,953.17 

The  total  Amount  expended  during  the  Year 
]9(!s,  chargeable  to  the  brighton  beach 
Improvement,  is  summarized  as  follows: 

Cost  of  the  work  completed  during  the  year  19US  158,589.00 
Award  of  Commissioners  to  various  property 
owners  OU  account  of  change  of  grade  of 

Newkirk  Avenue    13,953.17 

Labor  and  material  furnished  by  Railroad  Com- 
pany and  Contractors  prior  to  January  1,  1908 
-  Engineers  and  other  expenses  during  1908, 

paid  during  the  year    (50,205.98 


Total  during  1908. 

86 


$232,7  IS.  15 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 

During  the  year  1909,  the  only  work  done  on  the  line  of  the 
Improvement  was  the  grading,  regulating  and  paving  of  Avenue 
Y  and  grading  Avenue  K  to  the  east  line  of  East  15th  Street. 

The  opening  of  Avenue  Y  allowed  the  filling-in  of  Em- 
mers  Lane,  the  roadway  having  been  kept  open  when  the  em- 
bankment was  made  by  carrying  the  tracks  across  the  lane  on  a 
temporary  wooden  trestle. 

BRIDGES  AT  AVENUES  L  AND  P 

The  Board  having  previously  authorized  the  construction 
of  permanent  steel  bridges  at  Avenues  L  and  P,  the  Railroad 
Company,  with  the  approval  of  the  Commission,  entered  into 
contract  in  the  early  fall  with  the  Fort  Pitt  Bridge  Works  for 
the  steel  and  with  Oscar  Daniels  Company  for  the  erection  of 
the  bridges,  also  with  the  Newman  Construction  Company  for 
the  work  of  building  the  abutments,  excavating  and  removing 
the  earth-filling  in  the  embankment  and  placing  reinforced  con- 
crete floors  on  the  bridges.  The  work  is  now  well  under  way, 
the  abutments  at  Avenue  P  having  been  completed  and  the  exca- 
vation at  Avenue  L  started.  The  steel  for  the  bridges  will  be 
delivered  on  or  before  February  1st  next,  and  the  entire  work, 
it  is  expected,  will  be  finished  by  May  1st,  1910. 

The  approximate  cost  of  the  work  at  both  these 
streets  estimated  at    $44,200.00 

The  total  expenditures  to  December  31,  1909, 
chargeable  to  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement, 
exclusive  of  amounts  paid  wholly  by  the  Railroad 
Company,  is  as  follows : 


Park  and  Prospect  Places    $73,934.38 

Church  Avenue  to  L.  I.  R.  R   603,282.69 

L.  I.  R.  R.  to  Brighton  Beach    732,217.57 

General  Charges    142,077.40 


Total  $1,551,512.04 


37 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 

Second  Progress  Report 

1908-1909 


During  the  year  1908,  apparently  a  small  amount  of  work 
was  accomplished,  principally  upon  the  request  of  the  Mayor 
of  New  York,  asking  the  Board  not  to  let  contracts  for  future 
work  on  account  of  the  prevailing  financial  depression,  and  also 
the  Commission  could  not  do  any  work  on  the  Manhattan  Beach 
Line  for  the  reason  that  the  City  did  not  finally  approve  the 
agreement  for  the  Railroad  to  change  its  line  until  January 
29th,  1909. 

SEVENTH  AVENUE  TO  NEW  LOTS  ROAD 

The  work  during  the  years  1908-09,  consisted  in  finishing 
the  bridges  for  thirty-four  (34)  streets  between  Fort  Hamilton 
Avenue  and  New  Lots  Road,  and  also  a  small  amount  of  ex- 
cavation, the  lowering  of  tracks  between  Ocean  Parkway  and 
East  14th  Street,  and  widening  the  embankment  to  practically 
the  full  width  between  Avenue  "G"  and  New  Lots  Road.  This 
covered  a  distance  of  about  seven  miles,  and  on  this  stretch  all 
the  bridges  are  completed  with  the  exception  of  the  floors  to 
be  placed  on  the  East  18th  Street  foot-bridge,  the  Railroad 
Bridges  at  Kowenhoven  Road,  Avenue  "D"  and  Ralph  Avenue, 

In  October  the  Board  authorized  contract  to  be  made  with 
Frank  J.  Gallagher  for  the  concrete  piers  on  Seventh  Avenue, 
and  also  with  the  American  Bridge  Company  for  the  furnishing 
of  steel  work  for  this  bridge.  The  work  is  now  going  on,  the 
masonry  being  nearly  constructed  and  the  steel  work  is  being 
delivered. 

LIST  OF  STREETS  AT  WHICH  BRIDGES  HAVE 
BEEN  COMPLETED  ON  THIS  SECTION 

Fort  Hamilton  Avenue,  Eleventh  Avenue,  New  Utrecht 
Avenue,  Fifteenth  Avenue,  00th  Street,  Sixteenth  Avenue,  59th 
Street,  Seventeenth  Avenue,  53rd  Street,  New  Utrecht  Road, 

88 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


Eighteenth  Avenue,  52nd  Street,  Gravesend  Avenue,  East  Third 
Street,  Coney  Island  Avenue,  East  14th  Street,  Brighton  Beach 
Crossing,  East  18th  Street  (not  finished),  Ocean  Avenue,  Nos- 
trand  Avenue,  Flatbush  Avenue,  Brooklyn  Avenue,  Avenue  "H", 
Albany  Avenue,  Avenue  "G",  Utica  Avenue,  Kowenhoven  Road 
(Kings  Highway)  (not  finished),  Avenue  "D"  and  Ralph  Ave- 
nue (not  finished),  Wyckoff  Avenue,  Remsen  Avenue,  East  92nd 
Street  (Canarsie  Road),  East  94th  Street,  Rockaway  Avenue 
and  New  Lots  Road.  Of  these  bridges  fifteen  (15)  were  at 
unopened  streets. 

MANHATTAN  BEACH  DIVISION 

AVENUE  "j"  TO  NEPTUNE  AVENUE 

On  this  division  a  small  amount  of  work  was  accomplished 
during  the  year  1908,  principally  constructing  the  embankment, 
and  also  five  bridges  were  completed,  namely :  Avenue  "J",  "K", 
Locust,  Chestnut  and  Elm.  The  tracks  of  the  railroad  were 
removed  from  the  surface,  and  placed  on  the  new  embankment, 
thus  eliminating  five  (5)  grade  crossings. 

In  the  Spring  of  1909,  work  was  resumed  on  the  section 
between  Elm  Avenue  and  Manhattan  Beach,  and  practically 
completed  at  the  close  of  the  year,  there  having  been  constructed 
and  finished  the  embankment  and  fourteen  (14)  bridges.  On 
the  embankment  one  track  has  been  laid  and  in  operation,  though 
the  tracks  of  the  railroad  have  not  been  removed  from  the  sur- 
face between  Avenue  "N"  and  Neptune  Avenue.  It  is  expected 
that  all  the  grade  crossings  will  be  abandoned  in  this  section  by 
the  15th  of  March,  1910.  The  bridges  constructed  on  this  section 
are  as  follows :  Avenue  "J",  Avenue  "K",  Locust  Avenue,  Chest- 
nut Avenue,  Elm  Av  enue,  Avenue  N,  O,  Kings  Highway,  R,  S, 
T,  U,  V,  Neck  Road,  two  bridges  at  B.  R.  T.  connection  to 
Race  Track,  Avenue  "Y",  Shore  Road,  Neptune  Avenue;  also 
bridges  are  now  under  construction  at  Avenue  "L"  and  "P." 
Of  these  bridges  ten  (10)  are  at  unopened  streets  and  avenues. 

NEW  LOTS  ROAD  TO  EAST  NEW  YORK  AVENUE 

On  May  25th,  1909,  bids  were  opened  in  the  Commission 
rooms  for  wrork  between  New  Lots  and  East  New  York  Ave- 


39 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


nue.  This  covered  the  lowering  of  the  freight  yard  tracks  of 
the  Railroad  Company  between  those  points,  and  it  was  esti- 
mated to  cost  about  $580,000.  On  May  28th,  the  Commission 
approved  the  bid  of  Walter  H.  Gahagan,  and  authorized  the 
Railroad  Company  to  enter  into  contract  with  him  for  that  por- 
tion of  the  work.  On  this  section  of  the  work,  it  was  necessary 
to  underpin  the  columns  of  the  Canarsie  Elevated  Railroad,  and 
to  construct  a  retaining  wall  from  a  point  near  Livonia  Avenue 
to  Glenmore  Avenue,  which  wall  was  completed  by  December 
31st,  as  well  as  the  abutments  for  the  bridges  at  Blake,  Sutter 
and  Pitkin  Avenues,  and  also  a  small  amount  of  excavation  was 
done  which  wras  placed  in  the  embankment  near  New  Lots  Road. 
Contracts  were  also  made  with  the  Fort  Pitt  Bridge  Works  for 
the  steel  work  for  the  bridges  on  this  section.  The  steel  work 
was  all  delivered,  and  one  bridge  erected  and  floor  completed, 
namely,  Blake  Avenue. 

The  Railroad  Company  shifted  the  main  running  tracks 
temporarily  between  Liberty  Avenue  and  Livonia  Avenue,  in 
order  that  the  work  of  construction  could  proceed. 

COSTS 

The  amount  of  money  expended  for  construction  purposes 
for  the  years  1908-09  on  the  three  sections  above  mentioned  was 
$650,426.11  which  was  all  known  as  "Joint  Account,"  and  does 
not  include  any  additional  work  done  by  the  Railroad  Company 
for  its  own  use. 

The  total  amount  "Joint  Account"  including  con- 
struction, engineering  and  Commission  ex- 
penses for  the  years  1908-09,  was   

The  total  amount  of  "Joint  Account"  expendi- 
ture to  date   

The  total  amount  expended  to  date  including 
"Joint  Account"  and  additional  work  at  the 
Railroad  Co.'s  entire  expense,  and  also  land  for 
slopes  between  8th  Ave.,  and  New  Lots  Road 


$745,276.48 
1,983,690.92 

3,515,801.98 


40 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 

The  following  list  of  forty-nine  (49)  bridges,  with  the 
City's  per  cent,  of  the  total  cost,  the  original  tracks  of  the  Rail- 
road at  each  bridge,  the  number  of  tracks  provided  for  by  the 
new  bridges,  and  the  original  width  of  the  Railroad  Right-of- 
Way.  This  cost  includes  the  foundation  excavation,  concrete, 
steel,  erection  of  same,  floor  slab,  street  approach  work  and 
parapet. 

The  table  shows  also  the  cost  to  the  City  and  the  additional 
work  done  at  the  Railroad  Company's  expense. 


Bridges — Bay  Ridge  to  New  Lots  Road 


Highway  Bridges 

Total 

City's 

City's 

Tracks 

R.  of  W 

Cost 

Share 

Per  Ct. 

Orig.-New 

Width 

First  Avenue 

$125,000 

Ft.  Hamilton  Ave. 

19,087 

$  7,273 

37 

2 

4 

35' 

Eleventh  Ave. 

15,845 

6,523 

41 

2 

4 

47.5' 

New  Utrecht  Ave. 

14,948 

7,474 

50 

2 

2 

67' 

Fifteenth  Ave. 

14.061 

6,228 

44 

2 

3 

35' 

Sixtieth  Street 

20,629 

10,314 

50 

2 

2 

35' 

16th  Ave.  &  59th  St. 

20,370 

10,185 

50 

2 

2 

35' 

Seventeenth  Ave. 

13,638 

6,819 

50 

2 

2 

35' 

Eighteenth  Ave. 

29,150 

14,575 

50 

2 

2 

35' 

Fifty-second  St. 

12,577 

5,507 

43 

2 

3 

35'; 

Gravesend  Ave. 

19,049 

9,524 

50 

2 

2 

99'' 

East  Third  Street 

7,034 

3,517 

50 

2 

2 

35' 

Coney  Island  Ave. 

16,444 

8,222 

50 

2 

2 

42^'' 

E.  Fourteenth  St. 

8,105 

4,052 

50 

2 

2 

50' 

Brighton  Bch.  Ning. 

14,522 

7,261 

50 

2 

2 

50' 

Ocean  Avenue 

25,334 

10,569 

41 

2 

4 

38.7' 

Nostrand  Avenue 

15,159 

7,247 

48 

4 

4 

99' 

Flatbush  Avenue 

41,172 

19,153 

46 

o 

4 

67' 

Brooklyn  Avenue 

16,608 

5,352 

32 

2 

5 

35' 

Av.  H.  &  Albany  Av 

.  60,122 

23,873 

39 

2 

4 

35' 

41 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


Railroad  Bridges 

Total 

City's 

City's 

Tracks 

R.  of  W. 

Cost 

Share 

Per  Ct. 

Orig.-New 

Width 

Avenue  "G" 

63,663 

21,780 

34 

3 

5 

50' 

Utica  Avenue 

21,278 

6,452 

30 

2 

4 

35' 

Kowenhoven  Road 

27,621 

9,534 

35 

9 

4 

(not  finished) 

Ralph  Ave.  &  Ave.  D.  30,83? 

10,450 

34 

2 

4 

35' 

(not  finished) 

Wyckoff  Avenue 

17,914 

o,44o 

60 

2 

4 

O  "  f 

60 

Remsen  Avenue 

19,879 

9,939 

50 

2 

4 

East  92nd  Street 

15,117 

7,558 

50 

2 

4 

99' 

East  94th  Street 

15,471 

5,213 

34 

2 

4 

35' 

Rockaway  Avenue 

24,266 

9,102 

37 

2 

4 

42^' 

New  Lots  Road 

34,019 

12,475 

36 

2 

5 

6?' 

$778,919  ? 

271,619 

City's  Share 

35% 

R.  R.  Co's. 

Share  65% 

BRIDGES  OX  MANHATTAN  BEACH  BRANCH 

Avenue  "J" 

$  23,650  §11,825 

50 

2 

3 

57.5' 

Avenue  "K" 

13,776 

6,888 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Locust  Avenue 

11,92? 

5,964 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Chestnut  Avenue 

10,562 

5,281 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Elm  Avenue 

10,262 

5,131 

50 

2 

2 

4(y 

Avenue  "N" 

12,540 

6,270 

50 

2 

2 

47.8' 

Avenue  "O" 

12,090 

6,045 

50 

2 

2 

41.5' 

Kings  Highway 

23,323 

11,661 

50 

2 

2 

63.3' 

Avenue  "R" 

13,797 

6,899 

50 

2 

2 

40.5" 

Avenue  "S" 

13,332 

6,666 

50 

3 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "T" 

14,698 

7,349 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "U" 

17,566 

8,783 

50' 

2 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "V" 

10,779 

5,389 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Neck  Road 

13,943 

6,971 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

B.  R.  T.  Incline 

6,524 

3,262 

50 

2 

Avenue  "Y" 

13,735 

6,868 

50 

7 

2 

Yard 

Shore  Road 

22,662 

11,333 

50 

q 

2 

60' 

Neptune  Avenue 

23,27  1 

11,637 

50 

2 

9 

/V 

60' 

$268,440  $134,220 

City's  Share 

50% 

R.  R. 

Co's. 

Share 

50% 

42 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


During  the  years  1908-09,  the 

"Joint  Account"  excavation  was                          184,968  cu.  yds. 

"Joint  Account"  Concrete                                   24,766  "  " 

Total  "Joint"  excavation  to  date                       1,132,477  "  " 

Total  "Joint"  Concrete                                        61,009  "  " 

Total    excavation    including    additions  to 

Railroad                                               1,786,439  "  " 


The  above  figures  do  not  include  the  concrete  placed  in 
the  bridge  floors  or  the  parapet  walls. 

The  work  above  mentioned  does  not  mean  that  the  entire 
amount  was  spent  simply  for  the  bridges  at  streets  enumerated, 
but  the  final  grade  of  the  Railroad  has  been  so  fixed,  that  ad- 
ditional streets  can  be  opened  from  time  to  time,  as  the  City 
may  require,  either  above  or  below  the  grade  of  the  Railroad, 
as  built  by  the  Commission,  without  changing  the  grade  of  the 
same.  This  is  outlined  very  clearly  in  report  of  December  31st, 
1907. 

WORK  REMAINING  TO  BE  DONE 

Construction  of  Tunnel  at  East  New  York,  and  elevating 
railroad  from  Central  Avenue  to  Borough  Line,  distance  of 
about  one  (1)  mile,  estimated  cost,  $1,250,000. 

Finishing  all  work  under  way  between  East  New  York 
Avenue  and  New  Lots  Road,  estimated  at  $480,000. 

Small  amount  of  work  on  the  Manhattan  Beach  Line ;  widen- 
ing embankment ;  retaining  wall  Avenue  "J"  and  "K" ;  con- 
nection to  Race  Track  at  Neck  Road,  and  grading  and  paving 
streets. 

Certain  proportion  of  work,  between  Eighth  Avenue  and 
Second  Avenue,  for  which  plans  have  not  yet  been  fully  decided 
upon. 

Of  the  fourteen  miles  total  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improve- 
ment, practically  twelve  (12)  miles  of  Railroad  have  been  de- 
pressed or  elevated,  or  nearly  90  per  cent. 

Of  the  total  number  of  bridges  at  streets,  75  per  cent,  are 
completed. 

In  relation  to  the  amount  of  money,  there  has  only  been 
about  40  per  cent,  of  the  City's  appropriation  expended  to  date. 

43 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


Ran  r<  ad  Bridges 

Total 

City's 

City  s 

Tracks 

K.  Of  W  . 

Cost 

Share 

Per  Ct. 

Orig.-New 

Width 

Avenue  "G" 

63,663 

21,780 

34 

3 

5 

50' 

Utica  Avenue 

21,278 

6,452 

30 

2 

4 

35' 

Kowenhoven  Road 

27,621 

9,534 

35 

2 

4 

(not  finished) 

Ralph  Ave.  &  Ave. 

D.  30,837 

10,450 

34 

2 

4 

35' 

(not  finished) 

\\  yckoft  Avenue 

1  t  ,u  14 

K   1  A  Q 
0,-i-iO 

OK) 

2 

4 

60 

RpnKPii  Avptiiip 

19,879 

9,939 

50 

uu 

2 

4 

99' 

East  92nd  Street 

15,117 

7,558 

50 

2 

4 

99' 

East  94th  Street 

15,471 

5,213 

34 

2 

4 

35' 

Rockaway  Avenue 

24,266 

9,102 

37 

2 

4 

42^' 

New  Lots  Road 

34,019 

12,475 

36 

2 

5 

67' 

$778,919  $271,619 

City's  Share 

35% 

R.  R.  Co's. 

Share  65% 

BRIDGES  ON  MANHATTAN  BEACH  BRANCH 

Avenue  "J" 

$  23,650  $11,825 

50 

9 

3 

57.5' 

Avenue  "K" 

13,776 

6,888 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Locust  Avenue 

11,927 

5,964 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Chestnut  Avenue 

10,562 

5,281 

50 

2 

2 

W 

Elm  Avenue 

10,262 

5,131 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "N" 

12,540 

6,270 

50 

2 

2 

47.8' 

Avenue  "O" 

12,090 

6,045 

50 

2 

2 

41.5' 

Kings  Highway 

23,323 

11,661 

50 

2 

2 

63.3' 

Avenue  "R" 

13,797 

6,899 

50 

2 

2 

40.5" 

Avenue  "S" 

13,332 

6,666 

50 

3 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "T" 

14,698 

7,349 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "U" 

17,566 

8,783 

50' 

2 

2 

40' 

Avenue  "V" 

10,779 

5,389 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

Neck  Road 

13,943 

6,971 

50 

2 

2 

40' 

B.  R.  T.  Incline 

6,524 

3,262 

50 

2 

Avenue  "Y" 

13,735 

6.868 

50 

7 

2 

Yard 

Shore  Road 

38,662 

11,333 

50 

2 

2 

60' 

Neptune  Avenue 

23,27  I 

11,637 

50 

2 

2 

60' 

$268,440  $134,220 

City's  Share 

50% 

R.  R. 

Co's. 

Share  50% 

12 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


During  the  years  1908-09,  the 

"Joint  Account"  excavation  was                          184,968  cu.  yds. 

"Joint  Account"  Concrete                                   24,766  "  " 

Total  "Joint"  excavation  to  date                       1,132,477  "  " 

Total  "Joint"  Concrete                                       61,009  "  " 

Total    excavation    including    additions  to 

Railroad                                               1,786,439  "  " 


The  above  figures  do  not  include  the  concrete  placed  in 
the  bridge  floors  or  the  parapet  walls. 

The  work  above  mentioned  does  not  mean  that  the  entire 
amount  was  spent  simply  for  the  bridges  at  streets  enumerated, 
but  the  final  grade  of  the  Railroad  has  been  so  fixed,  that  ad- 
ditional streets  can  be  opened  from  time  to  time,  as  the  City 
may  require,  either  above  or  below  the  grade  of  the  Railroad, 
as  built  by  the  Commission,  without  changing  the  grade  of  the 
same.  This  is  outlined  very  clearly  in  report  of  December  31st, 
1907. 

WORK  REMAINING  TO  BE  DONE 

Construction  of  Tunnel  at  East  New  York,  and  elevating 
railroad  from  Central  Avenue  to  Borough  Line,  distance  of 
about  one  (1)  mile,  estimated  cost,  $1,250,000. 

Finishing  all  work  under  way  between  East  New  York 
Avenue  and  New  Lots  Road,  estimated  at  $480,000. 

Small  amount  of  work  on  the  Manhattan  Beach  Line;  widen- 
ing embankment ;  retaining  wall  Avenue  "J"  and  "K" ;  con- 
nection to  Race  Track  at  Neck  Road,  and  grading  and  paving 
streets. 

Certain  proportion  of  work,  between  Eighth  Avenue  and 
Second  Avenue,  for  which  plans  have  not  yet  been  fully  decided 
upon. 

Of  the  fourteen  miles  total  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improve- 
ment, practically  twelve  (12)  miles  of  Railroad  have  been  de- 
pressed or  elevated,  or  nearly  90  per  cent. 

Of  the  total  number  of  bridges  at  streets,  75  per  cent,  are 
completed. 

In  relation  to  the  amount  of  money,  there  has  only  been 
about  40  per  cent,  of  the  City's  appropriation  expended  to  date. 

43 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 
AND  BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 


Third  Progress  Report 

1910-1913 


In  submitting  a  report  of  the  work  of  the  Brooklyn  Grade 
Crossing  Commission,  attention  is  called  to  the  previous  report 
of  this  Commission  to  the  close  of  the  year  1909,  in  which  the 
work  remaining  to  be  done  is  outlined.  This  report  comprises 
the  work  done  since  that  time. 

BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT— LONG  ISLAND 
RAILROAD 

The  report  of  the  work  during  the  years  1910  to  1913,  in- 
clusive, can  be  more  readily  followed  if  given  under  four  head- 
ings. 

AVENUE  "j"  TO  MANHATTAN  REACH. 

Work  on  this  division  was  practically  completed  during  the 
year  1910.  All  tracks  were  removed  from  the  surface  and  from 
Avenue  "N"  to  Sheepshead  Bay  the  tracks  wore  moved  to  the 
new  location  along  the  Easterly  side  of  the  Brighton  Beach 
tracks  and  the  Streets  were  paved  where  depressed  under  the 
new  railroad  bridges.  The  depression  of  Avenue  "U"  under  the 
old  Manhattan  Beach  Line  was  filled  in  and  the  street  macadam- 
ized to  its  original  grade.  The  principal  work  done  on  this  section 
was  the  completion  of  the  railroad  bridges  at  Avenues  "L"  and 
"P."  The  Commission  has  been  asked  to  provide  a  bridge  at 
Voorhies  Avenue,  but  this  is  not  considered  necessary  until  the 
Avenue  is  opened  and  graded  West  of  the  railroad  to  Coney 
Island  Avenue. 


II 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


SECOND  AVENUE  TO  NEW  LOTS  ROAD. 

The  Seventh  Avenue  bridge  was  completed  during  the  year 
1910,  and  is  the  longest  bridge  erected  under  the  direction  of  this 
Commission.  It  has  a  length  of  272  feet,  a  total  width  of  70  feet, 
including  a  44  foot  roadway,  two  10  foot  sidewalks,  and  two 
3  foot  pipe  galleries.  It  is  built  on  a  skew  and  on  a  3  per  cent, 
grade.  During  this  year  floors  were  also  placed  on  the  East  18th 
Street  foot  bridge  and  on  the  two  railroad  bridges  at  Kowen- 
hoven  Road  and  at  Avenue  "D"  and  Ralph  Avenue. 

The  Railroad  bridge  at  Sea  Beach  Crossing  was  erected  and 
put  into  service  in  1911.  This  now  carries  the  two  tracks  of  the 
Sea  Beach  Railway  over  the  Long  Island  tracks  on  a  lower 
grade  so  as  to  permit  Eighth  Avenue  being  carried  over  and 
above  both  railroads. 

The  highway  bridge  at  Second  Avenue  spanning  the  tracks 
of  the  Sea  Beach  Railway  and  the  Long  Island  Railroad  tracks 
was  built  during  the  latter  part  of  1911  and  in  1912.  This  bridge 
is  22-1  feet  in  length  and  total  width  of  73  feet,  also  on  a  3  per 
cent,  grade. 

Itemized  bids  have  been  taken  for  the  construction  of  a 
joint  bridge  to  carry  Eighth  Avenue  (a  new  street)  over  the 
tracks  of  the  Sea  Beach  Railway  (New  York  Municipal  Railway 
Corporation)  and  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  at  an  estimated 
cost  of  about  $46,000.00,  of  which  55  per  cent,  will  be  the  share 
of  this  Improvement. 

All  grade  crossings  are  now  abolished  on  this  section,  but 
additional  highway  bridges  will  probably  be  required  at  Sixth 
Avenue  and  at  some  street  between  Nostrand  and  Ocean  Avenues, 
as  the  growth  of  these  portions  of  the  city  has  been  rapid.  The 
bridges  at  Fifth  Avenue,  Fourth  Avenue  and  Third  Avenue  will 
also  be  rebuilt. 

NEW  LOTS  ROAD  TO  EAST  NEW  YORK. 

The  depression  of  this  section  which  was  started  during 
the  year  1909  was  completed  in  1911,  and  crossings  are  now 
provided  at  all  streets. 

Blake  Avenue  highway  bridge,  previously  reported  under 
construction,  was  put  into  service  and  highway  bridges  were 


45 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


erected  to  abolish  the  grade  crossings  at  Sutter,  Pitkin,  Glenmore 
and  Liberty  Avenues.  Foot  bridges  were  erected,  spanning  the 
railroad  yard,  at  Livonia  Avenue  and  at  Belmont  Avenue. 

EAST  NEW  YORK  AVENUE  TO  BOROUGH  LINE. 

When  completed  this  section  of  the  railroad  will  consist  of 
a  four  track  tunnel  from  a  point  Southerly  of  East  New  York 
Avenue  to  a  point  Northerly  from  Granite  Street,  a  distance  of 
3,530  feet.  From  this  latter  point  the  road  will  pass  to  an  em- 
bankment crossing  Central  Avenue  and  continue  on  this  embank- 
ment to  the  County  Line,  a  distance  of  2,250  feet.  No  streets 
are  provided  for  this  embankment  section,  except  Central  Avenue, 
as  the  property  to  the  East  of  the  railroad  is  practically  occupied 
by  the  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens  and  the  Cemetery  of  the 
Most  Holy  Trinity. 

The  tunnel  section  is  built  on  a  straight  line  on  a  new  right- 
of-way,  provided  by  the  Railroad  Company,  from  the  South 
portal  at  East  New  York  Avenue  to  a  point  North  of  Bushwick 
Avenue  and  does  away  with  the  following  grade  crossings,  which 
were  on  the  old  line : 
East  New  York  Avenue. 

Atlantic  Avenue  and  the  tracks  of  the  Atlantic  Avenue  Divis- 
ion, Long  Island  Railroad. 
Herkimer  Street. 

Fulton  Street  with  trolley  tracks  and  Elevated  Railroad  thereon. 
Norman  Place. 

Broadway  with  trolley  tracks  and  Elevated  Railroad  thereon. 

Conway  Street. 

Stewart  Street. 

Eastern  I  'arkway. 

DeSales  Place. 

Bushwick  Avenue. 

Aberdeen  Street. 

Furman  A\  enue. 

It  also  provides  for  the  future  opening  of  Granite  Street, 
if  the  City  Authorities  so  desire. 

From  Last  New  York  Avenue  to  Fulton  Street  the  present 
railroad  tracks  are  within  the  lines  of  Vesta  Avenue,  which 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


practically  renders  this  street  impassable  for  vehicular  traffic. 
As  soon  as  the  tunnel  is  placed  in  service  the  old  tracks  will  be 
removed  from  the  surface  and  the  Railroad  Company  will  convey 
its  rights  in  Vesta  Avenue  to  the  City  of  New  York  for  street 
purposes. 

This  section  was  started  by  Contractor  W.  H.  Gahagan,  Inc., 
in  June,  1912,  at  Central  Avenue,  where  a  four  track  railroad 
bridge  was  erected  and  put  in  service  and  the  street  lowered 
and  repaved  under  and  adjacent  thereto,  the  railroad  being  ele- 
vated from  a  point  between  Pilling  Street  and  Central  Avenue 
to  the  County  Line. 

The  four  track  tunnel  is  completed  under  East  New  York 
Avenue  and  from  the  South  curb  of  Fulton  Street  to  a  point 
South  of  Herkimer  Street,  with  two  tubes  completed  under 
Atlantic  Avenue  and  under  Fulton  Street.  Two  tubes  are  also 
completed  near  the  North  end  for  a  distance  of  about  500  feet. 
The  invert  and  sidewalls  are  considerably  in  advance  of  the 
roofed  tunnel.  29,539  cu.  yds.  of  concrete  have  been  placed  on 
this  section,  which  is  3-1.8  per  cent,  of  the  total  yardage;  214,875 
cu.  yds.  of  material  has  been  excavated  or  about  48.3  per  cent,  of 
the  contract;  281,747  lbs.  of  reinforcing  rods  have  been  used, 
and  5,400  lineal  feet  of  conduits  laid  in  the  walls. 

East  New  York  Avenue  is  repaved  with  a  temporary  block 
pavement  and  Herkimer  Street  will  be  refilled  and  opened  to 
traffic  early  in  the  spring.  Atlantic  Avenue  and  Fulton  Street 
are  bridged  for  pedestrian  and  roadway  travel. 

Bushwick  Avenue  and  Aberdeen  Street  are  diverted  by  tem- 
porary street  construction.  All  other  streets  which  crossed  the 
railroad  are  undisturbed,  except  Furman  Avenue,  where  there 
is  nothing  but  vacant  lots  between  the  railroad  and  the  cemetery 
fence. 

The  roof  construction  of  the  tunnel  has  been  modified  at 
East  New  York  Avenue  and  at  Atlantic  Avenue  to  support  the 
three  existing  48"  water  mains,  which  were  raised  to  permit  of 
the  construction  of  the  tunnel. 

The  Railroad  Company  having  planned  to  elevate  its  road- 
bed from  the  Borough  Line  to  Fresh  Pond  Road,  a  distance  of 
one  and  one-fifth  miles,  the  contract  was  awarded  for  this  work 

47 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


at  the  same  time  and  to  the  same  contractors,  as  the  work  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Commission.  The  surplus  material  secured 
from  excavation  South  of  the  Borough  Line  was  thus  provided 
to  elevate  the  tracks  North  of  the  Borough  Line  as  called  for  in 
their  contract. 

GENERAL  INFORMATION 

The  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement  extends  a  distance 
of  fourteen  miles  of  which  one  and  one-half  miles  is  still  under 
construction. 

The  most  important  items  of  completed  construction  are : 
Masonry  of  all  classes        105,000  Cu.  Yds. 
Foundation  Excavation      117,000  " 
Ordinary  Excavation       3,000,000  " 

Steel  Superstructures     15,700,000  pounds  (or  over  7,500  tons) 

PERMANENT  TRACK  LAID 

Main  Tracks         138,054  Lin.  Ft.  or  26  miles. 
Yard  Tracks  104,310    "      "     "   19^  " 

All  excavated  material  has  been  hauled  and  deposited  in 
embankments  for  the  elevated  portions  of  the  Improvement  be- 
tween Avenue  "G"  and  New  Lots  Road,  Manhattan  Beach  Junc- 
tion and  Manhattan  Beach,  and  between  Central  Avenue  and 
Fresh  Pond  Road,  except  a  small  amount  for  freight  yards  and 
industrial  sidings. 

63  bridges  have  been  constructed  under  the  supervision  of 
this  Commission  and  placed  in  service.  35  of  these  are  railroad 
bridges;  3  are  foot  bridges  and  *35  highway  bridges  of  which  8 
carry  double  track  trolleys.  19  of  these  were  provided  at  streets 
and  avenues  not  physically  opened  at  the  time  of  construction. 

The  total  expenditures  from  the  beginning  of  the  work  to 
December  31st,  1913,  divided  equally  between  the  Long  Island 
Railroad  Company  and  the  City  of  New  York,  and  exclusive 
of  amounts  for  betterments  and  improvements  paid  wholly  by 
the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  are  as  follows: 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses    $2,933,292.30 

Administration  expenses  chargeable  to  the 

Bay  Ridge  Improvement    145,310.96 


$3,078,603.26 

BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 
1910-1913. 

The  work  unfinished  on  December  31st,  1909,  and  completed 
during  the  year  1910  consisted  of  erecting  railroad  bridges,  with 
solid  floors  at  Avenues  L  and  P,  regulating,  grading  and  paving 
intersecting  streets  and  other  miscellaneous  work  made  necessary 
by  the  Improvement. 

The  cost  of  work  done  during  1910  chargeable  one-half  to 
the  City  of  New  York  and  one-half  to  the  Brooklyn  Heights 
Railroad  Company  is  as  follows : — 


Permanent  Steel  Bridges  at  Avenues  L  and  P 

259  Tons  Steel  erected  and  painted  :   $17,330.00 

966  Cu.  Yds.  Concrete  Masonry    7,801.00 

7,552  Cu.  Yds.  Earth   removed   from  embank- 
ments  5,286.00 

Reinforced  Floors  on  bridges   6,800.00 

Track  work  made  necessary  by  the  erection  of 

bridges    5,002.00 

Street  work,  grading  and  regulating    12,753.00 


Total   $54,972.00 

Grading  and  regulating  at  other  streets  under 

Railroad  Bridges    16,193.00 

Repairing  and  resurfacing  retaining  walls    4,554.05 

Trimming  Slopes    711.44 

49 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


The  Commissioners  appointed  by  the  Supreme 
Court  to  assess  the  damages  to  abutting  prop- 
erty on  Park  Place  on  account  of  the  change 
of  grade  of  this  street,  due  to  the  work  of  the 
Improvement,  presented  their  report  awarding 
damages  chargeable  to  the  Improvement. 
The  amount,  including  the  expenses  of  the 


Commissioners  being    12,751.95 

The  work  done  during  the  year  1911  consisted  of 

the  erection  of  fences  along  the  high  sidewalks 

of  Avenues  K,  X,  O,  U  and  V    $625.65 

Repairing  and  resurfacing  retaining  walls   5,349.76 

Trimming  and  seeding  slopes  of  the  embankment  5,601.18 
Repairing  wood  block  pavement  on  Newkirk  and 

Foster  Avenue  Bridges    90.91 


The  work  of  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement  is  practically 
completed,  unless  the  Commission  should  decide  that  conditions 
in  that  locality  require  a  bridge  at  Yoorhies  Avenue. 

The  total  expenditures  to  date  divided  equally  between  the 
Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  and  the  City  of  Xew  York, 
and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  betterments  and  improvements  paid 
wholly  by  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  are  as  fol- 


lows : — 

Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses    $1,652,822.69 

Administration    expenses    chargeable    to  the 

Brighton  Beach  Improvement  to  Jan.  1st,  193  I  43,592.74 


$1 .096,415.43 

To  this  there  will  be  added  a  portion  of  the  amount  awarded 
to  Charles  Cranford,  the  contractor  for  the  Brighton  Beach  work 
from  Church  Avenue  to  Avenue  ()  in  his  suit  against  the  Brook- 
lyn Heights  Railroad  Company  arising  from  this  contract,  when 
the  same  is  settled  on  appeal. 

M 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 

Fourth  Progress  Report 

1914-1916 


This  report  comprises  the  work  done  during  the  years  of 
1914  and  1915  and  up  to  February  1st,  1916. 

In  the  report  dated  May  19th,  1914,  under  the  heading 
"East  New  York  Avenue  to  Borough  Line"  will  be  found  details 
regarding  the  four  track  tunnel  then  under  construction. 

At  this  writing  the  tunnel  is  completed  and  trains  running 
through  it  under  usual  railroad  operation. 

The  work  was  done  by  the  cut  and  cover  method. 

The  maximum  depth  from  the  original  surface  of  the  ground 
to  the  sub-grade  under  tunnel  floor  is  55  feet — this  being  at  a 
point  approximately  at  the  intersection  of  the  tunnel  with  Bush- 
wick  Avenue. 

The  tunnel  is  practically  a  monolithic  reinforced  concrete 
four  tube  structure — each  tube  oval  in  shape,  14  feet  in  width 
and  a  maximum  height  of  IT l/2  feet  from  top  of  rail  to  roof. 

Safety  niches  have  been  provided  for  trackmen,  and  open- 
ings to  permit  going  from  tube  to  tube  provided  at  intervals  of 
about  400  feet. 

The  tunnel  floor  is  "2  feet  thick,  roof  18  inches  thick,  parti- 
tion walls  2  feet  thick,  side  walls  3^>  feet — all  measurements 
taken  on  axes  of  tubes. 

The  first  train  to  go  through  the  tunnel  was  a  special  train 
carrying  the  Members  of  the  Brooklyn  Grade  Crossing  Commis- 
sion, Engineers  and  Long  Island  Railroad  Officials,  on  October 
27th,  1915. 

East  bound  Railroad  traffic  was  transferred  from  the  surface 
tracks  in  the  tunnel  on  November  6th,  1915,  and  West  bound 

51 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


traffic  on  November  24th,  1915,  whereupon  the  old  tracks  on  the 
surface  were  removed  and  the  intersections  of  the  old  right-of- 
way  with  the  streets  were  temporarily  paved  or  planked. 

With  the  exception  of  Fulton  Street  and  Broadway,  the 
streets  intersecting  the  cut  made  for  the  tunnel  were  closed  dur- 
ing construction  and  traffic  detoured  over  adjacent  streets,  or  in 
the  case  of  Bushwick  Avenue  over  a  temporary  roadway. 

The  most  serious  traffic  problem  was  at  Eastern  Parkway, 
which  being  a  main  thoroughfare  between  Brooklyn  and  the  out- 
lying parts  of  Long  Island  was  used  very  largely  by  automobiles 
and  auto  trucks.  This  being  a  part  of  the  parkway  system,  the 
Commission  conferred  with  the  Park  Commissioner  and  it  was 
decided  to  detour  the  traffic  as  it  was  thought  inadvisable  to 
attempt  to  maintain  such  heavy  traffic  by  temporary  bridge  con- 
struction, especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  surface  tracks 
of  the  Railroad  crossed  the  Parkway  at  grade  within  120  feet 
of  where  the  end  of  a  temporary  bridge  would  have  to  be.  The 
bridge  would  have  been  180  feet  in  length.  For  these  reasons 
it  was  thought  best  to  detour  the  travel  via  Xorman  Place  and 
Conway  Street — large  detour  signs  being  placed  for  the  guidance 
of  drivers,  with  watchmen  at  each  end  of  the  detour. 

After  May  24th,  191.*),  a  second  detour  was  provided  for  the 
additional  summer  travel,  via  Somers  Street  and  Stewart  Street. 

The  Parkway  was  closed  February  loth,  191."),  and  was 
reopened  to  travel  for  its  full  width  on  November  30th,  1915, 
over  a  temporary  macadam  roadway.  The  detouring  method  pro- 
vided gave  complete  satisfaction. 

Before  starting  work  on  the  tunnel  a  permanent  intercepting 
sewer  was  built  on  the  West  side  of  the  cut.  Sections  of  sewers 
crossing  the  cut  at  Herkimer  Street,  Atlantic  Avenue  and  East 
New  York  Avenue  were  removed  and  the  sewers  connected  with 
the  intercepting  sewer  to  permanently  take  the  sewage  flowing 
from  the  West.  On  the  other  streets  temporary  sewers  were 
maintained  where  necessary  during  construction,  and  on  com- 
pletion of  the  tunnel  were  rebuilt  on  the  old  line  and  grade. 

Except  for  the  L8  inch  mains  referred  to  in  our  previous 
report,  most  water  and  gas  mains,  electric  conduits,  etc.,  were 

52 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


temporarily  maintained  or  discontinued  where  possible  and  all 
replaced  in  their  old  location  upon  completion  of  the  tunnel. 

The  large  gas  main  on  Bushwick  Avenue  was  temporarily 
replaced  by  line  laid  under  the  detour  road. 

Temporary  cinder  sidewalks  and  macadam  pavements  are 
laid  on  all  streets  over  the  tunnel  from  Xorman  Place  to  Bush- 
wick Avenue  inclusive.  These  streets  will  be  repaved  in  the 
spring  with  permanent  asphalt  or  block  pavements  and  permanent 
sidewalks  provided. 

In  the  tunnel  at  the  South  end  between  Atlantic  Avenue  and 
East  New  York  Avenue  an  island  platform  was  constructed  for 
passenger  use. 

This  platform  and  stairway  were  provided  in  place  of  the 
platform  formerly  existing  on  Yesta  Avenue. 

The  Railroad  Company  has  planned  a  new  station  building 
at  this  point. 

During  the  progress  of  the  work  a  field  office  was  maintained 
at  196-i  Broadway,  Brooklyn,  Xew  York,  on  property  immediately 
adjacent  to  the  tunnel  cut.  The  use  of  this  office  was  discontinued 
August  1st,  1915,  and  a  smaller  place  secured  for  the  field  men 
at  Atlantic  and  Snediker  Avenues. 

Before  taking  bids  for  this  tunnel  work  it  was  estimated  that 
the  cost  of  the  work  as  planned  would  be  one  and  one-quarter 
million  dollars — that  of  this  amount  25  per  cent,  would  be  the 
cost  of  the  additional  construction  required  to  give  the  Railroad 
the  additional  facilities  it  desired  in  the  way  of  betterments. 
It  was  therefore  decided  that  the  Railroad  Company  should  pay 
25  per  cent,  of  the  actual  cost  of  the  construction  in  lieu  of 
betterments  and  the  balance  of  75  per  cent,  should  be  divided 
as  the  Special  Act  of  the  Legislature  creating  the  Commission 
provides,  one-half  to  the  City  and  one-half  to  the  Railroad  Com- 
pany. This  made  the  total  proportion  of  the  Railroad  Company 
§V/2  per  cent,  and  the  City's  37^  per  cent. 

The  cost  of  the  Tunnel  construction  work  was  $1,203,760.00, 
apportioned  as  above  stated. 

The  Railroad  Company  in  addition  furnished  necessary 
right-of-way,  paying  for  all  property  and  removing  all  buildings 
thereon. 


53 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


The  principal  items  of  construction  for  tunnel  and  ap- 
proaches were : 


This  Commission  is  pleased  to  report  that  notwithstanding 
the  great  depth  of  the  cut  necessary,  the  very  large  amount  of 
earth  excavated  and  hauled  away  on  surface  tracks,  the  large 
amount  of  construction  material  brought  in  on  the  surface 
tracks,  and  notwithstanding  the  many  streets  crossed  by  the 
tunnel  at  various  points,  some  of  them  containing  elevated  roads 
and  trolley  lines,  the  entire  work  was  carried  on  and  completed 
in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  the  various  City  Departments,  to  the 
traveling  public  and  to  the  adjacent  residents  and  property  own- 
ers. 

The  Commission  desires  to  avail  itself  in  this  report  of  the 
opportunity  to  express  its  appreciation  of  the  efforts  made  by  the 
members  of  the  Engineering  Force  and  the  Contractor  in  accom- 
plishing this  result. 

When  the  Railroad  between  Xostrand  Avenue  and  Ocean 
Avenue  was  re-constructed  by  this  Commission  this  section  of 
the  City  was  entirely  undeveloped,  being  cultivated  farm  lands, 
consequently  a  bridge  between  these  points  was  not  provided  for 
in  the  initial  layout  of  the  work. 

Since  then  the  rapid  progress  of  building  in  this  section  has 
entirely  altered  the  conditions,  and  in  response  to  a  petition  by 
the  adjoining  property  owners  and  residents  supplemented  by  a 
request  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment,  the  Com- 
mission has  authorized  a  bridge  erected  at  Bedford  Avenue 
(East  25th  Street ). 

Plans  for  this  bridge  were  adopted  September  7th,  1915,  and 
contract  awarded  October  5th,  1915,  to  Merrill  Ruckgabcr  Com- 
pany, at  a  cost  of  $19,135.00. 

The  Contractor  has  placed  all  the  concrete  for  the  column 


Concrete   

Excavation   

Structural  Steel   

Steel  Reinforcing  Rods  ... 
Five-ply  W  aterproofing  ... 
Three-ply  Waterproofing 


441,016   "  " 
328  tons 
4,576,872  pounds 


225,517  sq.  ft. 
26,488    "  " 


85,467  cu.  yds. 


r>4 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


foundations  and  for  the  South  abutment  and  is  now  awaiting 
delivery  of  steel  in  the  early  spring. 

It  is  expected  that  this  bridge  will  be  completed  ready  for 
service  by  June  15th,  1916. 

The  Eighth  Avenue  Bridge  noted  in  our  previous  report  was 
completed  and  put  in  service  in  1914. 

The  original  plans  and  specifications  for  the  elimination  of 
grade  crossings  in  the  Bay  Ridge  vicinity  provided  for  a  depres- 
sion of  tracks  at  First  Avenue,  with  the  building  of  a  viaduct  to 
carry  First  Avenue  above  the  tracks. 

It  was  expected  that  this  Commission  would  provide  for 
the  building  of  the  First  Avenue  viaduct  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  Law,  but  the  Railroad  Company,  in  developing 
its  yard  and  increased  facilities  at  the  Xew  York  Bay  terminus 
of  its  road,  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  City  for  the  closing 
of  64th  and  65th  Streets,  between  Second  Avenue  and  the  Bay, 
and  as  a  result  of  these  negotiations  paid  the  City  for  the  closing 
of  the  two  streets  and  agreed  to  assume  all  the  cost  of  the  viaduct 
carrying  First  Avenue  above  its  tracks  and  enlarged  yard. 

A  slight  depression  of  the  old  tracks  at  First  Avenue  was 
necessary  in  order  to  carry  the  First  Avenue  viaduct  over  the 
tracks  at  a  proper  clearance  height.  It  was  therefore  determined 
by  this  Commission  that  the  amount  which  the  City  should  con- 
tribute towards  the  reconstruction  ^'est  of  Fifth  Avenue  would 
be  one-half  of  the  estimated  cost  of  depressing  the  railroad  from 
Fifth  Avenue  to  First  Avenue — a  depression  equal  to  the  change 
of  grade  at  First  Avenue  (i.  e.,  3.68  feet)  with  a  corresponding 
underpinning  of  the  arches  at  Second,  Third  and  Fourth  Avenues, 
and  the  Fifth  Avenue  Bridge. 

The  Railroad  Company  pays  for  all  construction  at  and 
West  of  Fifth  Avenue,  except  the  amount  of  $42,123.82,  which 
was  determined  as  the  share  to  be  contributed  by  the  City-  as  per 
preceding  paragraph. 

The  new  bridge  at  Fifth  Avenue  over  the  Long  Island 
tracks  was  built  under  the  supervision  of  this  Commission  at 
the  same  time  as  the  Xew  York  Municipal  Railway  Corporation 
built  the  Fifth  Avenue  Bridge  over  the  Sea  Beach  Railroad. 


o5 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


These  bridges  are  practically  one  continuous  structure  as 
they  meet  on  a  common  centre  pier. 

Trolley,  wagon  travel  and  pedestrians  were  detoured  over 
a  temporary  trestle  erected  East  of  and  adjacent  to  the  avenue 
in  August,  1914. 

The  new  bridge  was  completed  and  placed  in  service  in 
March,  1915. 

The  new  bridge  at  Fourth  Avenue  is  a  two  story  structure, 
built  under  the  supervision  of  the  Public  Service  Commission 
by  agreement  with  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company.  The 
first  story  of  the  bridge  carries  the  Fourth  Avenue  subway  over 
the  tracks  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad — while  the  second  story 
of  the  bridge  becomes  the  surface  of  Fourth  Avenue. 

Plans  are  now  preparing  for  a  bridge  at  Third  Avenue.  It 
is  expected  that  contract  for  this  work  will  be  let  in  the  near 
future. 

The  Second  Avenue  Bridge  was  built  in  1910. 

The  Commission  believes  that  a  highway  bridge  should  be 
built  to  carry  Sixth  Avenue  over  the  tracks  of  the  Long  Island 
Railroad  and  as  previously  reported  has  built  the  South  abutment 
for  this  bridge.  As  this  Commission  has  no  jurisdiction  over  the 
Sea  Beach  Railroad  (New  York  Municipal  Railway  Corporation) 
immediately  adjoining  the  Long  Island  Railroad,  this  bridge 
should  only  be  built  when  a  similar  structure  over  the  Sea  Beach 
road  is  authorized. 

Total  disbursements  to  January  1st,  1916,  divided  equally 
between  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  and  the  City  of 
New  York,  and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  betterments  and  im- 
provements paid  wholly  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company 
are  as  follows  : — 
Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses    $3,889,048.20 

Administration  expenses  chargeable  to  the  Bay 

Ridge  Improvement    171,071.33 

$4,060,119.53 

Amount  paid  by  the  City    $2,030,059.76 

5(5 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 
AND  BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 

Fifth  Progress  Report 

1916-1918 


The  work  done  under  the  supervision  of  this  Commission 
since  February  1st,  1916  (the  end  of  the  last  progress  report) 
was  the  replacement  of  street  surfaces  disturbed  by  the  construc- 
tion of  the  East  Xew  York  Tunnel ;  the  completion  of  the  Bed- 
ford Avenue  (East  25th  Street)  Bridge;  and  the  construction  of 
a  bridge  at  Third  Avenue,  all  as  outlined  in  our  report  dated 
February  29th,  1916 — in  addition  to  which  the  Board  decided 
to  build  a  parapet  wall  at  the  North  Tunnel  Portal  and  across  the 
dead  end  of  Pilling  Street,  and  a  parapet  wall  along  the  Southerly 
court  yard  line  of  Sixty-first  Street  extending  from  Fourteenth 
Avenue  to  Eighth  Avenue  with  returns  extending  from  said  court 
yard  line  to  the  parapet  walls  of  the  Eleventh,  Ft.  Hamilton  and 
Eighth  Avenue  Bridges.  This  parapet  wall  was  a  safety  require- 
ment, especially  necessary  in  view  of  the  fact  that  several  of  the 
intersecting  avenues  stopped  at  Sixty-first  Street  and  that  the 
railroad  cut  immediately  adjacent  on  the  Southerly  side  of  the 
street  is  at  a  considerable  depth  below  the  surface  of  the  street. 

Bedford  Avenue  Bridge,  which  was  completed  in  June,  1916, 
is  a  typical  highway  bridge  carrying  Bedford  Avenue  over  the 
depressed  four  track  roadway  of  the  railroad.  Its  construction 
involved  no  particular  difficulties  as  there  was  no  travel  to  be 
taken  care  of — the  bridge  being  erected  to  provide  for  a  new 
street  crossing,  at  the  request  of  adjacent  residents  and  property 
owners  and  of  the  Board  of  Estimate  and  Apportionment. 

The  principal  work  during  the  period  of  this  report  has 
been  the  construction  of  the  new  bridge  carrying  Third  Avenue 
across  the  right-of-way  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad. 

The  length  of  this  bridge  is  162  feet  and  of  the  full  width 
of  Third  Avenue — eighty  feet. 

Provision  is  made  for  nine  railroad  tracks  underneath  and 


5 


57 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


room  for  three  additional  tracks  can  be  provided  by  the  con- 
struction of  abutment  and  wing  walls  at  the  Southerly  end. 

The  total  cost  of  this  bridge  was  about  $90,000.00  of  which 
the  City  contributed  $2,700.00,  which  was  one-half  the  estimated 
cost  for  underpinning  the  old  arch  to  permit  lowering  the  track 
3.68  feet  as  was  done  at  First  Avenue. 

During  the  construction  of  this  new  bridge  travel  was  not 
interrupted,  except  for  short  periods  during  the  day  when  the 
roadway  was  temporarily  blocked  for  a  few  minutes  by  the  mov- 
ing of  material  across  the  same. 

A  temporary  roadway  was  maintained  at  all  times  sufficient 
to  permit  the  operation  of  a  double  track  trolley  and  the  usual 
vehicular  travel.  The  pedestrian  travel  was  confined  to  the  tem- 
porary sidewalk  on  the  Westerly  side  of  this  structure. 

The  operation  of  the  elevated  railroad  on  Third  Avenue  was 
not  interfered  with  and  its  structure  is  now  permanently  sup- 
ported by  the  new  bridge. 

All  construction  work  on  both  Improvements  required  by 
Chapter  507  of  the  Laws  of  1903,  and  amendments  thereto,  under 
w  hich  this  Commission  is  working,  has  been  completed — so  that 
there  remains  practically  nothing  but  the  final  adjustment  by  the 
Commission  of  accounts  between  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Com- 
pany, the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  and  the  City  of 
New  York. 

On  December  1st,  1916,  the  Commission  notified  the  City 
Authorities  of  these  conditions  and  of  its  intention  to  complete 
the  work  on  or  about  May  1st,  1917,  and  at  the  same  time  directed 
the  Long  tsland  Railroad  Company  and  the  Brooklyn  Heights 
Railroad  Company  to  file  on  or  before  January  1st,  191?,  all 
claims  against  their  respective  Improvements. 

The  construction  work  was  practically  completed  by  May 
1st,  1917. 

In  response  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  filed  its 
claims  under  date  of  December  30th,  1916,  amplified  under  date 
of  February  28th,  1918,  as  follows: 

"First:  Land  for  slopes  from  Manhattan  Beach  Junction 
to  Neptune  Avenue;  Liberty  Avenue  to  Last  New  York  Avenue, 
and  between  Central  Avenue  and  the  Borough  Line.  The  exact 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


amount  cannot  be  determined  upon  until  your  Board  finally  ap- 
proves the  various  bills  for  purchases  and  apportions  the  expense. 

Second :  The  cost  of  embankment  on  the  line  to  Manhattan 
Beach.  The  arrangement  with  the  Board  was  at  cost  not  to  ex- 
ceed 20  cents  per  cubic  yard.  The  Company's  bills  were  paid 
upon  a  basis  of  18  cents  per  cubic  yard,  and  as  the  construction 
expense  for  this  work  amounted  to  more  than  .20  cents  per  cubic 
yard,  the  Company  claims  the  difference  or  499,663  cubic  yards 
at  2  cents— $9,193.26. 

Third :  When  the  land  for  slopes  from  Eighth  Avenue  to 
New  Lots  Road  was  in  the  process  of  settlement,  the  Special 
Committee  appointed  by  your  Board  temporarily  excluded  the 
value  of  the  buildings  on  the  properties  which  amounts  to  over 
$15,000.  Your  Board  is  requested  to  adjust  this  matter  as  the 
Railroad  Company  feels  that  it  should  be  included  in  Joint  Ac- 
count expenses,  and  is,  therefore,  a  proper  claim. 

Fourth :  The  right  of  way  and  tracks  of  the  Canarsie  Rail- 
road, extending  from  East  New  York  to  New  Lots  Road,  parallel 
and  adjacent  to  the  right  of  way  of  the  Manhattan  Beach,  and 
occupying  the  surface  of  the  street  and  the  ground,  prevented 
the  elimination  of  the  grade  crossings  through  that  section,  as 
the  Grade  Crossing  Law  did  not  extend  to  or  cover  the  property 
of  that  Company.  In  order  that  the  work  might  go  on,  The  Long 
Island  Railroad  Company  entered  into  an  agreement  with  the 
Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  Company,  by  which  the  latter  should 
acquire  the  Canarsie  Railroad  and  should  elevate  that  portion  of 
the  tracks  extending  from  Pitkin  Avenue  to  a  point  below  New 
Lots  Road,  and  giving  its  consent  to  the  depression  of  the  tracks 
of  the  Manhattan  Beach,  and  the  placing  of  supporting  walls 
upon  the  right  of  way  of  the  Canarsie,  and  also  surrendering  to 
the  Long  Island  that  part  of  the  right  of  way  of  the  Canarsie 
extending  from  Pitkin  Avenue  to  Atlantic  Avenue,  and  any  inter- 
est that  the  Canarsie  might  have  in  the  old  right  of  way  north 
of  Atlantic  Avenue.  To  enable  the  Brooklyn  Rapid  Transit  in- 
terest to  carry  out  this  arrangement,  the  Long  Island  contributed 
the  sum  of  $136,000,  and  the  company  thinks  that  some  portion 
of  this  amount  should  be  chargeable  to  Joint  Account,  and  is 


59 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


therefore  a  proper  claim,  especially  since  the  work  could  not  be 
carried  on  until  the  Canarsie  Railroad  tracks  had  been  removed 
from  the  surface  of  the  street." 

Details  of  these  items  were  later  presented  and  a  Committee 
of  the  Board  is  now  considering  the  first  and  fourth  items.  A 
portion  of  the  second  was  disallowed  in  accordance  with  an 
opinion  of  the  Corporation  Counsel  denying  the  legal  liability  of 
the  City.  The  third  item  has  not  yet  been  finally  concluded. 

Total  disbursements  to  March  1st,  1918,  divided  equally  be- 
tween the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  and  the  City  of  Xew 
York,  and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  betterments  and  improve- 
ments paid  wholly  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  are 
as  follows : — 

Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses   $4,084,732.02 

Administration  expenses  chargeable  to  the  Bay 

Ridge  Improvement    '..  193,974.18 


$4,278,706.20 

Amount  paid  by  the  City   $2,139,353.10 

The  limit  of  the  City's  share  of  the  work  of  the  Bay  Ridge 
Improvement  was  fixed  at  one-half  the  cost  of  the  work,  not 
including  betterments  and  not  to  "exceed  the  sum  of  two  and 
one-half  million  dollars,  except  that  such  limit  of  cost  shall  be 
increased  if  necessary  so  as  to  include  one-half  the  cost  of 
viaducts  or  bridges  constructed  across  streets  or  avenues  not  yet 
legally  opened,  intersecting  the  right-of-way  of  the  railroads 
affected  by  the  Bay  Ridge  Improvement  as  now  or  hereafter 
located." 

It  is  noted  that  the  aggregate  of  all  disbursements  made  by 
the  Commission  on  this  account,  together  with  one-half  of  all 
claims  presented  by  the  Railroad  Company,  whether  they  may 
be  hereafter  approved  or  rejected,  will  be  considerably  within  the 
limit  of  two  and  one-half  million  dollars. 

In  the  above  stated  account  is  included  the  cost  of  bridges 
built  to  take  care  of  the  then  future  opening  of  twenty-eight 
streets  or  avenues,  in  addition  to  abolishing  the  then  grade  cross- 
ings, forty-one  in  number. 

no 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


At  three  of  these  streets  foot  bridges  only  were  provided — 
at  nine  highway  bridges  were  built  carrying  those  streets  over 
the  depressed  railroad,  and  sixteen  railroad  bridges  were  built 
that  streets  could  be  later  opened  through  those  sections  where 
the  railroad  was  elevated  on  an  embankment. 

BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 

The  construction  work  on  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement 
has  been  completed  for  several  years — but  during  the  past  year 
vouchers  have  been  passed  covering  the  cost  of  certain  work 
done  by  Charles  Cranford.  These  payments  were  not  made  at 
the  time  of  construction  on  account  of  pending  litigation  between 
Charles  Cranford  and  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company 
arising  out  of  their  contract.  The  matter  has  not  been  fully 
settled — but  payments  were  made  on  the  basis  of  a  decision  of 
the  Appellate  Division — Charles  Cranford  continuing  his  appeal 
to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  claiming  additional  moneys. 

On  December  23rd,  1916,  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad 
Company  notified  the  Commission  that  its  Comptroller  "has  (or 
will  prior  to  January  1st)  filed  any  bills  or  claims  which  we  may 
have  against  the  Brighton  Beach  Improvement'  except  bills  for 


land  slopes. 

The  claims  filed  were : — 

For  interest  on  the  Cranford  judgment    $26,199.59 

For  costs,  disbursements  and  services  of  Attorneys 

and  Witnesses  in  Cranford  suit    6,235.46 


which  claims  had  already  been  disallowed  by  the  Commission 
in  accordance  with  an  opinion  of  the  Corporation  Counsel,  saying 
they  could  not  be  legally  charged  to  the  Improvement. 


There  were  also  claims 

For  Pilots,  etc   $  292.50 

For  patrolling  tracks    1,894.20 

For  constructing  wooden  curb    2,089.91 


which  items  the  General  Superintendent  of  the  Commission  had 
reported  were  not  proper  Improvement  charges. 

On  or  about  June  18th,  1917,  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad 
Company  served  summons  and  complaint  on  members  of  the 

61 


Brighton  Beach  Improvement 


Commission  in  a  suit  brought  to  compel  audit  by  the  Commission 
of  the  above  five  claims  and  payment  by  the  City  Authorities  of 
one-half  of  said  amounts  with  interest.  The  papers  have  been 
referred  to  the  Corporation  Counsel  for  such  action  as  he  deems 
proper. 

In  addition  to  those  claims  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad 
Company  on  March  31st,  1917,  presented  bill  in  detail  for  land 
for  slopes,  aggregating  $96,183.13  and  on  April  23rd,  191 7,  the 
Railroad  Company's  Comptroller  wrote  a  letter  withdrawing  said 
bill  and  offering  one  for  $121,332.04  to  supersede  the  prior  bill. 

The  Commission  has  no  knowledge  of  any  further  claims  to 
be  presented  against  either  Improvement,  other  than  expenses 
of  the  Commission. 

Total  disbursements  to  March  1st,  1918,  divided  equally 
between  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  Company  and  the  City 
of  Xew  York,  and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  betterments  and 
improvements  paid  wholly  by  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad 
Company  are  as  follows : 

Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses    $1,698,552.43 

Administration    expenses    chargeable    to  the 

Brighton  Beach  Improvement    58,214.35 


$1,756,766.78 

Amount  paid  by  the  City    $  878,383.39 

The  limit  of  the  City's  share  of  the  work  of  the  Brighton 
Beach  Improvement  was  fixed  at  one-half  the  cost  of  the  work, 
not  including  betterments  and  not  to  exceed  the  sum  of  one  mil- 
lion dollars. 


62 


BAY  RIDGE  IMPROVEMENT 


Final  Report 

1918 


Supplementing  the  report  of  March  1st,  1918,  the  Com- 
mission decided  on  the  first  item  of  the  pending  claims  of 
the  Long  Island  Railroad  by  approving  all  the  items  of  the 
bill  for  land  for  slopes,  as  presented,  except  seventeen  items. 
For  these  items  the  Commission  allowed  $37,136.05  as  the 
proper  joint  account  charge,  while  the  bill  of  the  Railroad 
Company  was  for  $61,674.96.  This  allowance  was  protested  by 
the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company,  the  Company  reserving 
its  legal  rights  to  the  amount  not  allowed  by  the  Commis- 
sion. 

The  third  item  of  the  pending  claims  was  not  allowed. 

On  the  fourth  item  of  the  claim,  the  Commission  al- 
lowed the  first  two  items  of  the  bill  presented  but  refused  to 
approve  the  third  item  of  this  bill,  amounting  to  $65,863.52, 
as  in  its  opinion  there  wTas  no  legal  claim  for  this  item. 

Total  disbursements  to  April  30th,  1918,  divided  equally 
between  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Company  and  The  City 
of  New  York,  and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  betterments  and 
improvements  paid  wholly  by  the  Long  Island  Railroad  Com- 
pany are  as  follows  : — 

Construction  work,  including  engineering  and 

Incidental  expenses    $4,249,324.37 

Administration  expenses  chargeable  to  the  Bay 

Ridge  Improvement    196,222.64 

$4,445,477.01 

Amount  paid  by  the  City    $2,222,738.50 

A  few  small  bills  for  current  expenses  will  be  incurred 
subsequent  to  the  printing  of  this  report. 

In  addition  to  removing  all  grade  crossings  (and  pro- 
viding for  the  future  opening  of  streets  without  grade  cross- 
ings) along  about  twenty-one  (21)  miles  of  double  track 
railroad  many  permanent  inprovements  of  great  public  ad- 
vantage have  resulted. 


63 


Bay  Ridge  Improvement 


Among  these  may  be  mentioned  in  particular  the  laying 
out  of  new  and  enlarged  local  freight  delivery  yards  pro- 
viding adequate  freight  deliveries  for  the  future, — the  con- 
struction of  the  large  terminal  freight  yard  at  Bay  Ridge 
with  float  bridges  enabling  car  load  freight  to  be  put  on  car 
floats  for  transfer  to  other  terminals, — also  enabling  this 
branch  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  to  become  a  through 
freight  line  in  connection  with  the  New  York  Connecting 
Railroad,  between  New  England  and  the  South  and  West. 

In  this  connection  the  following  extract  from  a  letter 
of  President  Ralph  Peters  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  is  of 
interest : 

"I  desire  to  report  for  the  information  of  the  Commis- 
sion, that  the  Bay  Ridge  Line,  upon  which  the  grade  cross- 
ings have  been  removed  under  the  direction  of  the  Com- 
mission, has  been  put  in  operation  under  a  trackage  arrange- 
ment between  the  Long  Island,  New  York  Connecting,  and 
New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railroad  Companies,  by 
which  the  line  is  used  as  a  part  of  the  system  for  inter- 
changing freight  between  the  New  Haven  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroads  via  Hell  Gate  Bridge  and  the  Bay  Ridge 
float  bridges.  The  service  was  inaugurated  on  January  17, 
1918,  and  has  continued  uninterruptedly  since,  being  gradu- 
ally increased  each  month. 

"The  development  of  this  road  under  the  direction  of  the 
Grade  Crossing  Commission,  has  added  another  great  trans- 
portation facility  to  Brooklyn  and  Greater  New  York,  one 
that  will  give  large  service  in  the  distribution  of  fuel,  build- 
ing material,  supplies,  and  general  freight  traffic  of  the  City, 
as  well  as  for  the  interchange  of  traffic  between  the  two 
great  Trunk  Lines.  This  was  only  made  possible  as  a  result 
of  the  work  of  the  Grade  Crossing  Commission  in  eliminating 
the  crossings  on  this  road." 

These  improvements  were  paid  for  wholly  by  the  Rail- 
road Company  at  an  expense  of  about  six  million  dollars. 
This  amount  is  in  addition  to  the  Railroad's  share  of  the  ex- 
pense of  the  grade  crossing  elimination,  making  a  total  cost 
to  the  Railroad  of  over  eight  million  dollars  for  the  work- 
done  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn. 


64 


BRIGHTON  BEACH  IMPROVEMENT 

Final  Report 

1918 


In  reference  to  the  claim  of  the  Brooklyn  Heights  Rail- 
road Company  for  land  for  slopes,  the  Railroad  Company's 
Comptroller  withdrew  said  bill,  substituting  a  bill  dated 
April  23,  1918,  for  $109,583.13  to  supersede  the  prior  bill. 

The  Commission  allowed  all  the  items  on  this  bill  as 
presented  except  ten.  For  these  items  the  Commission 
allowed  $22,458.36  instead  of  $39,848.99  as  billed. 

This  allowance  was  protested,  the  Company  reserving 
its  legal  rights  for  the  amount  not  allowed  by  the  Com- 
mission. 

Total  disbursements  to  April  30th,  1918,  divided  equally 
between  the  Brooklyn  Heiglits  Railroad  Company  and  The 
City  of  Xew  York,  and  exclusive  of  amounts  for  better- 
ments and  improvements  paid  wholly  by  the  Brooklyn 
Heights  Railroad  Company  are  as  follows: 
Construction  work,   including  engineering  and 

incidental  expenses    $1,790,724.93 

Administration    expenses     chargeable    to  the 

Brighton  Beach  Improvement    58,872.40 

$1,849,597.33 

Amount  paid  by  the  City    $924,798.66 

A  few  small  bills  for  current  expenses  will  be  incurred 
subsequent  to  the  printing  of  this  report. 

In  addition  to  removing  all  grade  crossings  (and  pro- 
viding for  the  future  opening  of  streets  without  grade  cross- 
ings) the  Railroad  Company  increased  its  trackage — pro- 
viding for  express  as  well  as  local  service — and  built  new 
and  commodious  stations. 

All  of  these  improvements  were  paid  for  wholly  by  the 
Railroad  Company  at  an  expense  of  over  $820,000.  This 
amount  is  in  addition  to  the  Company's  share  of  the  expense 
of  the  grade  crossing  elimination,  making  a  total  cost  to 
the  Brooklyn  Heights  Railroad  of  over  $1,744,000. 


65 


The  photo  reproductions  given  on  the  following  pages 
show  a  few  of  the  changes  made  on  the  Long  Island 
Railroad. 


67 


69 


70 


71 


6 


78 


74 


76 


78 


79 


so 


r. 


81 


83 


85 


Sfi 


87 


ss 


91 


92 


94 


99 


LOO 


101 


The  photo  reproductions  given  on  the  following  pages 
show  a  few  of  the  changes  made  on  the  Brighton  Beach 
Railroad. 


103 


105 


107 


108 


109 


Ill 


113 


in 


115 


\ 


2 


CLM0CI 


■ 


